Fixed
by jane0904
Summary: Following on from BROKEN in the Mal/Freya 'verse, the crew are taking their ease with Inara on Lazarus so she can see the new arrival, but a conversation with a friend gives hints of the future. Read, enjoy, review! NOW COMPLETE but more to come.
1. Chapter 1

"Did you ever think you'd see that, Mal?" Inara asked, watching Jayne and River sitting on a blanket in the orchard, both cooing over their infant son.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"If'n I ever thought I'd be going insane."

She hit him mildly on his upper arm, and he grinned at her.

They'd touched down on Lazarus a week after the birth, giving Inara plenty of time to arrange things. As soon as the Firefly landed Bethie was out of the door and running to see the puppies, the other children quite a bit slower but just as enthusiastically following her.

"Auntie 'Nara!" she squealed as the woman came out of the house to meet them. "Where are they?"

Inara smiled, knowing exactly what she meant. "Downstairs in the kitchen. But you have to be careful. Giselle is very protective."

"S'why Momma said we couldn't bring Fiddler." Bethie was almost vibrating with anticipation. "Giselle might not like it."

"That's right. You'd better go down. And ask Mrs Boden for some milk and cookies, if you like."

"'Kay!" She ran past into the hallway.

"Hello, Auntie 'Nara," Ethan said more formally, looking quite the little man in his suspenders.

"Hello, Ethan," she responded, going down elegantly onto her heels to look him in the face. "And how are you?"

"Shiny." He grinned.

"And everyone else?"

"New baby," he said succinctly, managing Mal's look of faint disgust quite well.

"So I gather." She smiled and stroked the hair from his forehead before turning to Hope and Ben, close together like they always were. "Do you want to go and see the puppies too?" The children nodded, slightly in awe of her as usual. "Come on." She held out a hand, and Ben wrapped his fingers in hers. She straightened up and saw Mal coming towards her, Jesse in his arms. "I'll be right back," she said. "Don't go anywhere."

"Wasn't planning on it," Mal replied, smiling. He watched her lead the children into the house, then looked back to the Firefly. Hank and Zoe had strolled out, hand in hand.

"Hey, where's my off-spring?" Hank called.

"With Inara."

"You hanging around a while?"

"Little bit."

"Then me and my wife are going for a walk." Hank grinned. "I love saying that. My wife." He sighed happily.

"Do you need us to set a watch, sir?" Zoe asked, not letting his infectious nature get too overwhelming.

"Don't think so. I think we're pretty safe. Somehow I doubt Inara intends to play pirate and steal my boat." Mal looked past them. "Where're the others?"

"Jayne's fussing around River and Caleb, making sure they got everything 'fore they come out to play," Hank put in. "And you don't wanna know what Kaylee and the doc are getting up to."

Mal rolled his eyes. "You'd think they'd've gotten it out of their systems by now, wouldn't you?"

"You ain't."

Mal glared at him, then looked at his first mate. "Take him away. Now."

"Yes sir." Zoe smiled widely, hooking her arm through her husband's and leading him towards the lake.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Hank called.

Mal couldn't help his lips twitching. "JJ," he said, looking at his daughter and using the nickname he'd recently coined for her, "you ever get the chance to run your own ship, be careful who you take on as pilot. There's something mighty odd about that whole profession."

Jesse looked into his blue eyes and nodded seriously, not really understanding what he was saying but glad to be close to him.

"Talking to yourself?" Freya asked, strolling towards him. "First sign of madness, so I'm told."

"Too late for that," Mal joked. "And I was imparting my wisdom to Jesse here, seeing as no-one else on the crew listens to me."

"So what were you saying?" She put her arm through his.

"Mama," Jesse said, smiling at her but holding onto her father's shirt.

"Nothing much," Mal said. "Just wondering on the iniquities of owning a spaceship."

Freya laughed. "One of those days, is it?"

"Always is, darlin'." He grinned. "Truth is, I was just thinking how peaceful it is here, considering where we've been lately."

"It is pretty." She dropped her head to rest on his shoulder, looking around. In the long year Lazarus enjoyed, it was coming up late autumn, and she could believe some mornings there'd be the crack of ice around the edge of the lake, but during the day the sun warmed the air enough for it to be quite pleasant. The trees were turning, though, starting to shed their leaves and blanketing the ground in a blaze of colours. "But I still prefer the spring."

"Promise of hope?"

"Something like that." She squeezed his arm. "But it's nice here."

"Home?"

Pinching him enough to make him yelp and Jesse laugh, she said, "I keep telling you, Serenity's home. Always will be."

"Just checking."

"So where's Inara? I thought she'd be wanting to see the new arrival as soon as we got here."

Mal glanced back over his shoulder. "She's showing the puppies to the kids."

"Oh, well, puppies. You should have said." She chuckled. "You know, you'd better frisk Bethie before we leave. Just in case."

He smiled at her. "The thought had crossed my mind."

"And why isn't Jesse with them?" She stroked her daughter's face. "I know she'd like to see them."

"There's plenty of time, _bao bei_. She can play with them to her heart's content." He nodded towards the wrought iron chairs under one of the trees. "Sit with me?"

"Love to."

He led her into the orchard, making sure the seat was dry and leaf free before she sat down. Putting Jesse down onto the ground, he took his wife's hand. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Better?"

"Now that River's given birth. I'm figuring her static's died down somewhat."

"A lot," she agreed.

"So that headache you've had for the past few months has gone."

She glanced quickly at him. "I never said –"

"I know you, _xin gan_. May not be psychic myself, but you're kinda like an open book to me, the number of times I've thumbed through your pages. It's been hard on you."

"On all of us," she corrected. "It's been preying on Bethie and Ethan too."

"But you more than most. You're close to River, and I can understand it making life difficult for you."

"Is that why you've been even more attentive than usual?" she asked, her brown eyes searching his face.

"Maybe."

She smiled. "You're right. It has been hard sometimes, but all I have to remember is that you're here for me and it's better. That's all I need."

"Me too, darlin'." He leaned over and kissed her lightly, only stopping when Jesse giggled.

"Your children are going to grow up knowing far too much about sinning," Freya pointed out, breathing her words into Mal's mouth.

"Ain't sinned yet." He pressed forwards, his hand on the nape of her neck.

"And you won't be just yet." She ran her fingers through his hair before sitting back. "You should have killed him, you know. Prater."

Mal glanced at Jesse, but she was more interested in the small insect she'd seen land in front of her. "Would you?" he asked Freya.

"Yes." She realised he was looking at her. "Probably." He was still gazing. "Maybe. Okay, look, the point _is_ we've got enough enemies in this 'verse without leaving more around than we have to."

"Maybe he'll be sensible."

"Mal, he followed us from one moon to another, just to get revenge. _And_ you shot him."

"Hey, wasn't me!" he protested.

"You're captain. That means the buck stops with you. Whoever shot him, there's only one person he's going to blame." She poked him gently in the chest. "You."

"He was down, Frey. Don't kill a man when he's down, not 'less I have to. I ain't Jayne."

She exhaled noisily. "You are so stubborn sometimes."

"It still means something, killing a man." Mal shook his head. "If it ever comes to be easy, to be something I don't think about, don't regret even, then I won't be me no more."

"Wouldn't want that to happen." Despite her words just a minute earlier, she leaned forward and captured his lips, running her tongue over them until they parted for her.

"Frey …" Mal groaned from deep in his throat, pulling her closer.

Someone coughed. Twice.

Freya pulled back. "Oh, hey, Inara."

Mal sighed. "Your timing is, as always, impeccable."

Inara raised an eyebrow at the couple. "Don't you have a bunk for that?"

"And where is Sam?" Mal asked in turn. "Worn him out? Buried him under the patio or something?"

"He's fine, thank you for asking." Inara sat down in one of the other chairs, arranging her dress demurely around her knees. "He's in town at the moment, helping someone."

"The kind of help a psychiatrist gives?"

"Well, he's not shoeing horses."

"Don't wanna get his hands dirty?"

Inara ignored him. "He'll be back in time for supper."

Freya grinned, no longer worried that their arguing would lead to something else. "And everything's okay? He sorted his business on Ariel?"

"He has. We're just waiting for his belongings to arrive and he'll be here permanently."

Mal was surprised. "You're really doing this? So quickly?"

"He's been living here more than six months, Mal. We're ready to take the next step." She gazed at him from under perfect eyebrows. "He's not like you. Taking forever to make up your mind."

"Hey …" He was feeling more than a little insulted.

"As long as you made the right choice in the end," Freya said quietly.

"I did, _ai ren_," he promised, squeezing her hand.

Inara was about to look away, but realised the stab of pain she always felt at seeing Mal with someone else wasn't as bad as it had been before. Maybe she was healing.

Freya saw the thoughts flit across the other woman's mind without having to peek. "Well, I think Sam's a nice man."

"I didn't say he wasn't!" Mal insisted. "Just that it seems to have happened fast."

"When it works, why wait?" Inara said.

"I guess."

"And is it good?" Freya asked softly.

For a moment Inara let her happiness bubble through, and she looked like a young girl, not a woman, and definitely not like an ex-Companion. "Oh, Frey. It is. So very good."

"Do you argue?"

"All the time." She laughed.

"What's good about that?" Mal asked, then realised. "No, don't bother answering. I know. You get to make up."

"We both have strong opinions, and sometimes we disagree." She smiled. "It makes for interesting mealtimes."

"And what do the girls think of him? Coming here? Movin' in?"

Inara regained her poise. "Valentia and Phoebe have something of a crush on him, I'll admit, but he knows how to deal with it. Letitia and Rosemary simply adore him."

"Really." He pushed down the surge of jealousy, reminding himself that, even though he was their legal guardian, circumstances meant he saw a whole lot less of them than the good Dr Nazir.

"He talks to them. Let's them say what they think and doesn't get angry. It's amazing how rewarding that can be."

Mal narrowed his eyes a little, but good humouredly. "You saying I don't listen to folks?"

"Would I?"

"Yeah, you would."

"Children, children," Freya scolded gently. "I think it's sweet you've found someone, Inara. And I hope it lasts."

"So do I," Inara agreed fervently.

Mal had been thinking. "You know, maybe I should have a little talk with him."

"No!" Inara hadn't realised just how loud her voice was. "No. That's not necessary."

"I only wanted to let him know what'd happen to him if he hurt you."

"I know what you wanted to do. And you're not going to do it." She smoothed her already flawless dress. "Sam isn't one of your crew. And neither am I."

"No, you're right." Mal gazed at her. "What you are is family. And I just wanna make sure he understands that."

"He does. He saw the way you are with everyone. He understands."

"Still, I –"

"Mal." Freya didn't even raise her voice.

"Just concerned," he promised.

"I know." She smiled. "And it'd good that you are. But you're not going to go frightening Sam."

"See?" he said, throwing his arms up into the air. "Like I said, no-one takes notice of me."

"Of course we do, Mal," Inara said, leaning forward and patting him on the knee. "We might not listen to you, but we take notice."

He glared at her until she started to laugh. "Fine. Shiny. Make fun of me."

"It's only because we love you," Freya assured him.

"Well, long as you do." He reached over and kissed her gently.

A noise at the front of the house had them all turning.

"Oh, dear," Inara breathed.

"Daddy! Puppies!" Ethan said, walking as fast as he could towards them, carrying something that was squirming in his arms.

"No," Mal groaned. "Not having another one on board."

"I don't think you're going to have much choice," Freya laughed, seeing the entranced look on her young son's face. "Looks like it wasn't Bethie you needed to worry about at all."


	2. Chapter 2

"You sure you're warm enough?" Jayne asked, watching as River wrapped Caleb in his blanket and picked him up.

"I'm fine."

"Only there's this here coat I think maybe you should be putting on." He held out something that looked like one of Kaylee's hand-me-downs.

"I don't need a coat."

He looked her up and down, wearing one of her floaty dresses that wouldn't keep out a breeze. "Then how about a sweater? I figure your bro has enough to spare one."

"Only because I gave birth before you could unravel them all."

"I can go grab one and you –"

"Jayne. I am warm enough. I've got my boots and underwear on. I don't need anything else to wear." She shook her head. "Stop worrying." Who knew this husband of hers would turn out to be so anxious?

"Ya had Caleb a week ago. Just don't want you catchin' cold," he explained, the tips of his ears pink.

"I won't. The weather isn't going to infect me." She looked down at the little bundle in her arms. "Is it?" she said, the tip of her little finger touching her son's lips.

"Guess." Jayne watched, his blue eyes softer than they'd ever been. He'd watched that morning, too, when she'd fed their son. Couldn't take those eyes off the sight of that slip of a girl who could rip his private parts off with one hand if she chose, just holding their son, letting him take his fill from her. Made his blood run south, too, just a bit, but he knew he couldn't do a thing about it. Wouldn't anyway, not to hurt her. He loved her with such a passion, and now to have something made out of the pair of them, something so small, needing him –

"We both need you," River said softly.

"Ya know I feel the same, don't you?" he asked, wrapping them both in his arms. "If'n anything ever happened to you, to either of you … I'd as like to –"

"Shh." She touched his lips with the same finger that had touched Caleb's. "You keep me safe. As sane as I will ever be."

"That ain't saying much," he joked, trying to make light of expressing his feelings, something he still found hard sometimes.

"No, it isn't. And I've had some bad days lately." At his look she added, "Okay, weeks. Months." A smile lit her face. "But my Jayne looks after me."

"That I do." He dipped his head enough to kiss her forehead. "Ain't nothing better I like to do." He grinned. "Least now, anyway."

"No more whores."

"Never." He moved her hair away from her face with one hand. "You know, we'd better get going. Or 'Nara's likely to be coming banging on our door."

"She's talking to Mal and Freya." River didn't want to leave the warmth and security of his embrace.

"We got our whole lives to snuggle in, if that's what you want," he said, tightening his grip a little. "But we came to Lazarus for a reason, and if we stay here much longer like this I ain't gonna be able to keep my hands off you."

She laughed, and it made his heart sing. "Okay." She wriggled against him, just to prove a point, then pulled away. "But not yet."

"I know. Your prissy bro ain't gonna be able to keep us apart too long, though."

"It's not up to Simon. I know my body. I've had long conversations with parts of it before, and I will decide."

He looked hopeful. "Soon?"

"Soon," she promised.

"Okay." He pulled his t-shirt back into place. "Come on, then."

---

"But he's pretty," Ethan said, holding out the small puppy for inspection.

"Yes, that's true," Freya said. "But she's also a girl, and that's not a good idea with Fiddler around."

"Why not?"

"It just isn't."

"Why? They won't fight. And he's … _she's_ all soft." He held the small dog against his chest. "Pretty." He looked back at his mother. "Why isn't it a good idea?"

Freya looked at Mal, who shrugged. "Hey, ain't me he asked," he said. "'Sides, talking about the birds and the bees … I figure that's your part of the whole marriage and having kids thing."

Her eyes narrowed just a little. "I'll remember that tonight."

He dropped his head to hide a smile.

Inara chuckled. "You still haven't got over that, have you?"

"Over what?" Freya asked.

"Being a prude about sex."

"I'm not!"

"Then I'm also interested in how you're going to deal with this." She sat back, folding her hands in her lap.

Freya closed her eyes and bit back the cursing behind her lips. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her spine, firming her resolve and …

"See, Ethan," she heard Mal say, "boy dogs and girl dogs can get too friendly, and if that happens, well, there can be puppies. _More_ puppies."

Her eyes flew open to see her husband holding their son on his lap, the little dog sniffing the ground down by Jesse.

"Puppies is nice," Ethan said quietly.

"I know. And I have to admit these ones seem kinda cute, but a ship's not a place for a lot of dogs. Even small ones. Fiddler knows where he can go now, and where he can't, and he still gets into trouble, doesn't he?"

Ethan nodded. "Uncle Jayne's bunk."

"Yeah, that's one of the places." Mal nodded, knowing what the boy was referring to. "And if we hadn't heard him keening and scrabbling to get out, who knows what might've happened? And that was just 'cause he got someplace he shouldn't."

"Fiddler got into Jayne's old bunk?" Inara asked.

"That he did. Never did manage to figure out how," Mal said. "But he must've been down there some time, from what he'd done." He suppressed the shudder, just glad he was captain and could make Hank go and clean it up.

Inara hid her grin behind one perfectly manicured hand. "Ah."

"So boy dogs and girl dogs mean puppies?" Ethan wanted to clarify.

"Pretty much," Mal agreed. He could almost see the thoughts going through his son's head. "So I don't think we can have another one on board. Least, not yet."

"'Kay." The little boy heaved a sigh that seemed to come from his very boots. "'Kay, Daddy."

"That's a big feller."

Inara had watched the little scene with interest, and now said, "Ethan, I was going to keep one of the puppies anyway. Shall I keep this one?" She reached down and picked up the bundle of orange fluff.

Ethan nodded quickly. "That would be nice."

"You can decide what we call her, if you like. Only I think she needs to go back to her mother now. She's still very young."

Ethan scrambled down from Mal's lap. "I'll take her."

"Thank you, Ethan." Inara handed the puppy back to him, and he walked carefully towards the house.

Mal turned to Freya. "See?" he said, a wide grin on his face. "Easy."

She wasn't amused. "Easy. Right. So when he asks about where babies come from, and the actual mechanics of the whole sex thing, I'll just send him to you, shall I?"

He hitched his thumbs into his suspenders. "No problem."

"Mal, you're digging yourself an awfully big hole here," Inara advised. "I'd climb out right now, if I were you."

Mal laughed. "Frey, that _was_ easy. He's young enough to accept what I say right now, but I know it'll be a thousand times worse when it comes up again. And it will. I know damn well it's gonna come back to bite me in the ass one day, so you can say _I told you so_ then."

"Oh, I will," his wife promised.

"Is there likely to be fighting?" Jayne asked, coming up on the small group, River at his side. "Only if there is I wanna lay money on Frey."

Inara was immediately on her feet, peering into the bundle in River's arms. "And this is …"

"Caleb," the new mother said. "Caleb Francis Cobb."

"Can I …"

"Of course." River handed her first born son to Inara, who sat down carefully, supporting the baby's head with one hand and his body along her arm.

"He is handsome," Inara said softly. "Break hearts when he's older."

"Kinda like his Pa," Jayne joked.

"Very like," River agreed. "He keeps belching too."

Freya laughed, and Inara looked up in surprise as Mal tried to hide his amusement.

"Hey …" the big man complained.

River leaned against him. "I love you," she said simply, looking up into his blue eyes.

"That don't … hell, that's just …" He floundered a moment, then sighed. "Love you too, moonbrain."

Inara looked down at the baby again. "Is this the famous blanket I've been hearing about?"

"It is." River reached out to touch it. "My first ever knitting."

"It's … very you." Inara tried to admire the multi-coloured squares of wool, little holes showing where stitches had been dropped, and puckering where it was obvious River hadn't managed to get the tension right.

"Broken," River agreed, but she didn't sound unhappy.

"Unique," Inara amended.

River beamed.

"You hear from Domina at all?" Mal asked, moving his ankle away quickly before Freya could kick him.

Inara nodded, willing herself not to overreact at the mention of the woman bringing up her own child. "She sent me a capture a little while ago. It was Colm's birthday party." She looked up. "He seemed very happy."

"And that's the most important thing," Freya put in, glaring at Mal.

"Of course it is." Inara smiled a little.

"And now you got Sam here, I'm sure it won't be long 'fore we hear the sound of little Companiony feet," Mal went on, then yelped as Freya's foot connected. "What?" he demanded of his wife.

"Mal, you don't say things like that," she hissed.

"I do."

"Yes, I know you do. But you shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's … tactless." Freya leaned over. "Inara might not be wanting children. _More_ children," she quickly corrected herself.

Mal looked at the ex-Companion holding the baby. "Yeah?" he said softly. "You take a look at that and tell me she don't."

Freya glanced over, and had to admit her friend looked … motherly.

Inara felt her gaze and looked up. "It's all right, Freya. I know Mal's just being his usual self. And children are something Sam and I have talked about."

"You've only been together six months!" Mal said, entirely forgetting it was he who had brought the subject up. "Ain't it a bit soon to be thinking about procreating?"

"I just said we've talked about it. We've talked about a lot of things, including which sexual positions we prefer." She had to smile as she saw Mal wriggle a little. "You know, me on top, whether we should be using some of the toys I still have, bondage …"

"Inara, stop it," Freya said, knowing her husband was blushing under his shirt. "He'll be needing a cold shower if you go on like that."

"I could stand to hear some more," Jayne said, then grunted as River's elbow connected with his ribs. "Just saying …"

"Stop saying it," she warned.

"Saying what?" Kaylee asked, strolling towards them, her good arm linked in Simon's.

"Oh, just how –" Inara began, looking at Mal.

"No. I have to live with him." Freya didn't need to say anything else as her friend smiled sweetly.

"Did we miss something?" Simon asked, looking from one to the other.

"Thought you'd be wanting to spend all your time on board," Mal said. "Seeing as I gather you were otherwise engaged when we landed."

"Not 'til after," Kaylee said, smiling widely. "Only just after, I admit …"

"And I thought you weren't able to do that … kind of thing with your arm all bound up," Mal went on, pointing to the strapping still holding her shoulder immobile.

"There are ways," Simon said. "I'm a doctor, after all. I have intimate knowledge of how the body works, particularly Kaylee's, and the positions for a fulfilling –"

"Enough!" Mal's voice rebounded off the trees, as he jumped to his feet. "Dammit, this crew don't talk of nothing else," he complained.

"And I thought I was the prude," Freya murmured.

"Cap, did we say something wrong?" Kaylee asked, all innocent, her brown eyes sparking with amusement.

He just glared at her and said, "I'm going to take my daughter to see the puppies." He picked Jesse up, settling her onto his hip before heading for the house, and ignored the laughter following him.


	3. Chapter 3

Mrs Boden had done them proud. The evening meal they'd just eaten was enough to keep the Serenity crew going for at least a week up in the black, and now they were all too full to move much. Mal had been forced to undo the top button on his pants, and even Jayne couldn't get another mouthful down.

"That was … amazing," Sam said, half leaning back in his chair, his hands clasped across his stomach. "My compliments to the chef."

"I'll pass it along," Inara said, glad she'd worn a looser dress than she'd planned. She hadn't eaten like that in a while, and she wondered if she was going to be able to keep it down.

Hank wasn't so circumspect. He belched loudly. "God, that's better," he said, relaxing a little.

"Is he yours?" Mal asked, fixing Zoe with a stern eye.

She shook her head. "No, sir. Never seen him before. I thought he was with you."

"If I was considering turning sly, I think I'd have more taste."

"I'm just glad Ben and Hope are in bed," Kaylee said, shaking her head. "Hearing things like that."

"Hey!" Hank put in. "I am actually here, you know. And I'm insulted."

"That's unlikely." Mal glanced at Freya and saw her lips twitch. He glared back at his pilot. "About as unlikely as me taking you into _my_ bed."

"Anyway, that weren't nothing," Jayne put in. "This is how you do it." He put his chin into his chest and let rip with an almighty belch that seemed to rattle the cutlery.

"God, that's –" "You don't to that in front of –" "There are children –" "How could you –" Indignant voices spoke over each other in varying degrees of distaste.

As they died back, Mal cleared his throat. "Jayne, you do that again and you've got a date with an airlock."

"I'd rather you didn't," River said. "That would be leaving me with a child to bring up all by myself."

"I'm sure we could manage."

Simon glared at his brother-in-law and said, "Jayne, you are disgusting."

The big man grinned, unphased by the uproar. "'S'why River loves me."

"I love you because you make my toes curl when you lick my –" River began, but Freya interrupted.

"I think that's enough. From both of you," she said pointedly.

"He's made my stomach feel queasy," Hank put in.

"You started it."

"And I'm finishing it," Mal added. "We ain't having no more of that kind of thing at the dinner table."

"And I have plenty of antacids on hand in Serenity if anyone needs them," Simon said.

"I'm thinking it might be compulsory," Mal added. "Seeing as he appears to have forgotten we've got impressionable young ladies dining with us." He glanced at the Reilly girls and winked, just a little.

"Oh, we don't mind, Uncle Mal," Valentia said.

"That's what worries me." Inara shook her head. "Here I am, trying to make you fit for society, and you find _him_ funny." She pointed at Jayne.

"It's a talent," Jayne said, grinning. "Ain't it, girl?" he said to Valentia, and everyone saw how she went quite pink.

River very deliberately handed him Caleb, still swathed in the blanket, and picked up a spoon. He quickly seemed to take an inordinate interest in his son as Mal chuckled and Simon absently scratched at his shoulder.

Inara looked around the full table, and couldn't stop the smile on her lips. The house, which had always felt special to her, ever since she bought it off Monty, now seemed so much more like a home, with all the family here. She felt Sam's hand on hers, and she looked at him. He was amused, she could tell, and she mildly cursed the man for the training that allowed him to be able to see exactly what she was thinking. She seriously wouldn't put it past him to be a little bit psychic himself.

Mrs Boden made a silent entrance, appearing at Inara's elbow. "Was everything satisfactory, madam?" she asked.

Inara nodded. "It was wonderful, thank you."

There were corresponding murmurs of approval from everyone else.

"I'm glad." The housekeeper let her lips curve, just a little. "And will you be retiring to the drawing room for coffee?"

Inara looked around at the others. "Um, no, actually I think we'll stay here."

"Then I'll just clear the table." Mrs Boden began collecting the dishes.

"That's not necessary."

"Mrs Boden -"

"It's just the work of a moment." She lifted up the platter that still had the remains of the meat joint on it but Jayne grabbed it out of her hands.

"Just leave that one," Jayne said quickly, putting it back next to him.

"Of course," Mrs Boden demurred.

"I thought you were full," Freya pointed out.

"Right now I am. But this is in case I get the munchies later." He snagged another hunk of bread from the basket before that disappeared too, carefully holding Caleb against his chest.

"Jayne, you're incorrigible," Inara said.

"I'm a father." He hitched his shoulder to lift his son a little higher. "Gotta keep my strength up."

"Not sure what for," Hank interrupted. "All you do all day is work out and hang around making googoo eyes at River."

"You wanna step outside?" Jayne asked, leaning forward. "Just 'cause I'm a Pa now, don't mean I'm gonna let you impugn my dignity."

"Imp …" Hank stared at him open-mouthed.

Jayne nodded in satisfaction. "I ain't the idiot some of you seem to enjoy thinking. Nor am I above taking your sorry ass outside and beating the crap outta you."

"I'd rather you didn't," Zoe said. "Not until I've finished with him, anyway."

"And no-one's shooting or otherwise damaging anyone tonight," Mal added firmly. "We're just had an excellent meal, and I for one ain't in the mood to clear up entrails."

Phoebe coughed and stood up, wincing slightly. "Inara, I think we'll be going to bed."

"You don't have to."

"I don't want to," Rosemary said, her eyes bright. "Besides, if there's going to be a fight, I'd bet on Jayne any day."

Mal laughed. "You really are Reilly's daughter."

"You ain't wrong, either," Jayne added, grinning at her.

Rosemary pinked up a little at that, but didn't look away.

Phoebe gave her sister a glare, but said to Inara, "And _I_ think we'd be intruding. We really need to get some rest what with other things to look forward to."

"What other things would that be?" Mal asked.

"Oh, just things." She smiled at him, then beckoned the other girls. "Come on," she said. "Let's leave the adults to themselves."

"But Phoebe -" Rosemary began.

"Come _on_."

The Reilly twin sighed heavily but stood up. "Why's it always the way?" she asked as she pushed her chair under the table. "Just as things get interesting, we get sent to bed?"

"That's what being a kid's all about," Kaylee commiserated. "It was the same at my home. My Ma and Pa'd just start a conversation, usually about my brother Pete's attachment to some girl or other, and I'd be told it was time to go up."

"Not fair."

"Nope, that it ain't."

"It's not like me and Letitia are even tired." She looked at her twin for corroboration, and the other girl nodded enthusiastically.

"Letitia and I," Inara corrected.

Phoebe had the door open. "If you don't get a move on I'll …"

Rosemary stuck her chin out. "What?"

"Oh, I don't know." Phoebe pretended to think a moment. "Let me see. Maybe I'll tell them about -"

The Reilly girl fairly ran across the room. "_Po fu_," Rosemary muttered as she hurried out.

"Good night," Phoebe said to the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Mal looked at Inara. "What was that about?" he asked.

She chuckled. "I think Phoebe was threatening to tell on Rosemary about a boy she's been having secret assignations with."

"A boy?" Mal raised his eyebrows. "Should I be worried about this?"

"I don't think it's gone further than a little hand-holding," Inara admitted.

Jayne guffawed. "Hell, 'Nara, that's how it always starts. Then pretty soon it's other things getting held, and suddenly you find you're elbow deep in a shotgun wedding."

"She's not like that. She's far more sensible."

"I don't know," Mal put in. "I think Jayne might have the right of it. Maybe I need to have a word with this boy. Make sure he knows where the lines are drawn."

"You are not going to scare him," Inara said firmly.

"Why not? I've been working on my intimidating manner. What's this boy's name?"

"No, Mal."

"Anyway, I thought that being intimidating was my job." Jayne rocked Caleb a little. Everyone looked at him, and he glared back. "What?"

"Nothing, Jayne," Hank said soothingly. "Just go back to being an intimidatin' daddy."

The big man's eyes narrowed, suspecting he was being teased, but he decided he was too full for bloodshed right then. Besides, he had River's leg pressed against his thigh, and that took his mind off things.

"So who were you helping?" Simon asked, trying to change the subject and looking at Sam.

"Helping?"

"Inara said you were in town, helping someone."

"Oh, yes." Sam smiled. "Sorry. I'm just used to telling people my work is confidential, and them actually listening."

"You saying we don't listen?" Mal asked.

"I'm saying I don't think I've ever known people quite as nosy as you."

"Nosy and intimidating." He pondered. "I kinda like that."

"Yeah, about our niche," Hank agreed.

Sam laughed. "It was the daughter of the local Federal officer. She's just had her first baby, and she was somewhat depressed."

"A Fed?" Zoe asked, her jaw coming up.

"It's all right," Sam added quickly. "I was just giving her some mental exercises to help her through the bad times."

"But a Fed?"

"She needed my help," Sam explained. "And I won't turn people away just because of who their fathers work for, or whether they supported Unification or not." His dark eyes were suddenly serious. "If I am going to continue my work out here, then it will be for everyone, not just those I consider on the right side."

"I can see that, but … we're not exactly on their Christmas card list, doc," Mal pointed out.

"Just as I would never break a confidence from a patient, neither would I tell them anything about you," Sam assured him. "Besides, the authorities are somewhat more relaxed around here than on many other planets. They tend to be far more interested in prosecuting misdemeanours than in capturing really big, dangerous criminals."

Mal preened a little until Freya said, "I don't think he was talking about you."

He glared at her. "Might be." Then he smiled instead.

River stirred. "Am I going to be? Depressed?"

Sam looked at her, his dark eyes gentle, even as his lips curved. "There's no reason to think you are, but if it happens, you can always talk to me. Or Inara."

"Thank you." River leaned against Jayne, watching their son sleep.

"Actually, that's a point. How're we gonna tell?" Hank asked, then flinched as someone kicked him under the table. He glared at Kaylee then looked back around the table. "No, look, I mean it. In the last few months she's threatened all of us with guns, used a spoon as a weapon –"

"Spoon?" Inara murmured.

"Later," Freya promised.

Hank was still talking. " – put so much chilli in our food it left blisters … just what's this depression likely to manifest as? I mean, I'd like to know, just in case I wake up dead one day."

Zoe sighed. "Hank?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"Besides, you don't need to worry," Mal said to his pilot. "If she does hurt you, I've got two other women around who are more'n capable of flying Serenity."

"Are you calling me a woman?" Hank asked, trying to decide whether to take offence or not.

"How about a game of cards?" Simon suggested quickly, once again trying to smooth things out before they got in the least bit ugly.

"That's a good idea," Inara agreed, standing and going to the sideboard where she rummaged in a drawer before producing an unopened pack. "I knew I had some in here."

Mal looked at Bethie, who was yawning hugely, and Ethan, who had his head on the table. "Better be putting them to bed 'fore we start, though."

Kaylee stood up. "I'll do it. Not in the mood for cards at the mo, so I'll take 'em upstairs. I kinda feel like an early night myself."

"Are you okay, _bao bei_?" Simon asked, concern on his pale features.

She smiled. "I'm shiny. Just tired, is all. And my shoulder aches a little."

"Prob'ly all that activity you were up to when we landed," Mal said pointedly.

Simon threw him a quick glare, but said to his wife, "Do you want me to get you something?" He started to push his chair back.

"Only yourself, in a little while. But don't be too long," she added, twinkling at him.

He relaxed, grinning. "A couple of hands, no more."

"Good." She stroked his cheek. "Come on, sweetie," she said to her daughter. "Help me get Ethan up to bed."

"'Kay, Momma." Bethie climbed from her chair and stood looking at everyone, rubbing her eyes. "'Night, Uncle Mal," she said.

"'Night, Bethie. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

Her eyes widened just a little, and she looked at Kaylee. "Are there -"

"No," her mother said firmly, then she glared at Mal. "Don't you go saying things like that."

"What?" He feigned innocence.

"Just don't." Kaylee held out her good hand. "Ethan, it's time for bed."

The little boy lifted his head, but it was obvious that he was still half asleep. "Huh?"

"Come _on_," Bethie said, pulling him from his seat as he complained tiredly. She sighed. "He takes such looking after."

Kaylee chuckled as she led the children outside, everyone chorusing _goodnight_ behind them.

"So," Hank said, clapping his hands and rubbing his palms together. "We gonna play?"

"No gambling," Zoe said quickly, glancing at Hank.

"Did I say anything?" He looked injured. "I don't think I mentioned gambling. Not at all."

"You were going to."

"Was not."

She glared at him. "Really."

"_Maybe_ I was thinking we could play for chores, but that's about it. No money."

Jayne scratched his beard. "No way," he said. "Last time I got laundry duty for a month."

"Definitely not doing that," Mal agreed. "I was picking bits of paper out of my favourite shirt for the same length of time."

"No-one told me I was s'posed to go through the pockets first," Jayne grumbled.

"Luckily River remembered the details, otherwise we'd never have got that job." He raised his eyebrow at the big man.

"Mal, how many times I gotta say sorry for that?"

"Yeah, well." Mal surreptitiously undid another button on his pants. "No gambling."

"Then how about –"

"And no strip anything."

"_Suan ding_, Mal, you don't gotta be quite so boring."

Mal glanced at Caleb, and shook his head. "You know, I ain't gonna be surprised to find that baby's first words are curses," he muttered.

"That's all right," River said. "I've made a list."

"A list?"

"Of swear words. As soon as he starts to talk, I'll teach them to him."

"You're going to … what?"

"It's all right, Mal," Simon put in. "She's joking." He looked at his sister, then suddenly wasn't quite so sure.

"Well, you can all play nicely," Freya said, standing up and stretching carefully, feeling the healing bullet wound in her shoulder pulling a little. "I'm going to go have a bath."

"Hey, I had first dibs on that!" Jayne sounded aggrieved.

"You're playing cards," she pointed out.

"I guess, but –"

"Jayne, you gonna deal or what?" Hank demanded.


	4. Chapter 4

"Daddy!" Ethan ran up to his father, a handful of late flowers clutched in one little fist. "For Mama," he said proudly, handing them over.

Mal looked at them. "Shouldn't you be giving these to your Ma yourself?"

"Later." He grinned and scampered off again.

Mal looked at the little posy and shook his head, smiling ruefully as he tucked them into his shirt. They were likely to be limp by the time they got back to the house, but he knew Freya would treat them like the biggest and most expensive bouquet she'd ever received, probably pressing one or two of the petals in the journal she kept, and her son would love her even more.

Not that it was hard to love her. Not in the slightest. It only took one look at her, her short brown hair (even if one or two were starting to turn silver), those hazel eyes that read his thoughts off the back of his skull, the tattoo flaming up her back … he just had to see her to want to love her. Which he'd proved the night before when he walked in on her taking her bath.

She was floating in the delicately scented water, her eyes closed. She knew he was there, of course, and her lips twitched as his gaze ran down her naked body. The scars ghosting across her skin were now merely shadows, echoes of what had been, and if she was slightly softer from carrying two children, it was the kind of softness that pulled at his soul, made his heart beat faster, and took blood away from his senses to a far more responsive organ altogether.

"You gonna stand there all night and watch me?" she asked, still not looking at him, the words echoing in his mind as much as in his ears.

"Not sure," he said. "The view's pretty breathtaking. Might be considering seeing if I can capture it on paper. You know, for posterity."

"Could make a fortune."

"Could at that."

"Your very own Mona Lisa."

"Mona who?"

There was a pause. "Water's just right."

"It looks it."

"And I'm comfy." Now she opened her eyes, gazing into his blue orbs. "So why don't you join me?"

He smiled. "That an invitation?"

"It is."

The smile widened. "Don't mind if I do."

When they finally fell into the large bed, pulling the sheet over their damp bodies, neither of them had the energy to do more than snuggle into place, him on his back, her against him, her head on his shoulder, falling asleep in moments.

"Daddy?" Ethan brought him back to the moment. "Can we go down to the beach?" He was standing with his thumbs in his suspenders, his head slightly on one side.

"Well, we're headed that way," Mal said. "Why do you want to? It ain't warm enough to swim."

"Skipping stones," the little boy said, turning and running on ahead. "You said you'd teach me."

"Careful, Ethan," Mal called.

"'Kay, Daddy!" He barely slowed.

Mal couldn't help smiling. He remembered being … if not _that_ young, but certainly young enough to find pleasure in every new thing, whether it was a handful of slightly wilting flowers or his father's ability to make stones skip across the surface of the water. Not that he knew if his own Pa had been able to do that, but he wouldn't be surprised. Something like that seemed to run in families. And he did remember him making a kite once, that time Harry and Vinnie were staying, and his Pa and Uncle Zach had spent most of one day working on it. They flew it out in the back pasture, watching it catch the wind and dance with it. One of his few memories of being with the man who loved him something fierce …

"Daddy!" Ethan pointed towards the strip of beach, and began to run faster.

"Ethan, wait up!" Mal shook his head. _That_ he did remember. Not having the sense to look before he leaped. As if he'd actually grown out of it. He began to run himself, his boots pushing through the long pale stems of autumn. "You know your Ma ain't gonna be happy if you fall in, and I'll be the one gets the blame."

Then all at once he was at the top of the low slope leading down to the sand, and he tried to stop, but the grass was dew dampened and his feet slid out from under him. He landed with a thump on his buttocks, jarring his teeth. "_Da-shiong bao-jah-shr duh la doo-tze_," he began, but as he tried to stand up the soil beneath him gave way. He barely had time to register a large puddle of water at the bottom of the slope before he was sliding towards it, his momentum making him roll until he landed face first in about three inches of liquid.

"Daddy?"

Mal opened his eyes, blinking water out of them and levering himself onto his hands and knees. He sneezed loudly, expelling more water from his nose.

"Daddy? You okay?"

He looked up, seeing Ethan standing next to him, looking worried. "Oh, I'm shiny," he managed to say, trying to get rid of the grit in his mouth by spitting. "Not hurt, Ethan."

"Mama will be cross with you," the little boy said, still not sure if his father was about to keel over. "Getting muddy."

"Yeah, guess I am a little," Mal agreed, sitting down and looking at himself. The rain water had concealed a thick layer of mud, and now it was all stirred up into a sludge, and as he lifted one hand it dropped off his fingers with a splat.

Ethan shook his head. "Messy," he sighed, scratching at a small globule that had splashed his shirt. Then he looked longingly at the puddle.

Mal knew what he was thinking, remembered thinking it himself when he was small. Finding a pool of water after the rains, tempting him, calling to him to give in and have fun. And the number of times he had, jumping in and having a whale of a time. It made the telling off he always got from his Ma all the more worth it. "I'm in something of a state," he said softly, his mouth twitching.

"'Es," Ethan agreed, biting his lip.

"And, you know … I don't think I should be the only one!" Suddenly Mal reached out and grabbed his son, pulling him down into the mud with him, Ethan squealing and laughing as they rolled in the wet dirt. Mal found himself growling, trying to tickle the little boy even as he was being plastered with all the muck from the puddle, feeling it getting inside his shirt and down his pants even as the joy in his heart expanded.

"What is going on here?"

Mal looked up guiltily, mud squishing between his fingers as he let Ethan sit up. "Oh. 'Nara. Morning."

She stood above them on top of the slight slope, her hands on her hips. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing."

He didn't answer for a moment, just looked down at himself, his lips pursed. "Then we're … playing."

She tapped her foot. "How old are you, Mal?"

He tried to gather the remnants of his tattered dignity but gave up. "You look nice," he finally said lamely, nodding towards the dress of regal blue and pastel green she was wearing.

"Whereas you, on the other hand, look as if you've just indulged in a really expensive beauty treatment." She glared at him. "And is that Ethan?"

"Hello, Auntie 'Nara," the little boy said, waving his fingers at her, then noticed the crud under his nails.

"Mal, if Freya sees him like that she's going to have a fit."

"Really?" Mal looked at his son. "You think so?"

"Positive. You'd better get him cleaned up before breakfast. Which, by the way, is ready."

Mal examined Ethan more closely, making a show of wiping some of the mud off. "You think your Ma's gonna be annoyed you got a little mud on you?"

The little boy shrugged. "Might."

"A little?" Inara stood open-mouthed. "Mal, you're covered!"

"Are we?"

Ethan knew, could see it in his father's blue eyes even before he winked slowly, and he began to say, "Daddy, don't do –"

But it was too late. The handful of mud flew from Mal's fingers and landed smack in the middle of Inara's chest, slipping gloopily down her cleavage.

She gasped, her eyes wide and she took a small step back. Unfortunately she didn't look where she was going, and her foot slid out from under her, propelling her down the small slope on her buttocks, straight into the mudpool. She sat immobile, dazed, her mouth gulping like a fish.

"Oops," Ethan said quietly.

Even Mal looked somewhat shaken at what he'd done. "Um, 'Nara …" He reached out for her, but realised his hands were encrusted with earth. She glared at him, and he waited for her rage-filled outburst to engulf him. What he got, however, was a handful of mud straight into his face. "What the …" He spat again, wiping it out of his eyes.

"Oh, all right for you to do it to me, but you don't like it?" she taunted, then shrieked in a very unladylike manner as he grabbed at her. They rolled in the mud, feeling it getting everywhere, eyes, nose, mouth … _everywhere_.

"Daddy …" Ethan wasn't sure, but as he heard Inara laughing, he grinned and threw himself on top of them, rubbing the mud indiscriminately into hair, clothes, skin.

Suddenly Mal stopped, as if the earth had dried on him to a hard crust in an instant, immobilising him into a statue.

"Mal?" Inara asked, still chuckling. Then she looked up. "Ah."

He'd heard it, in his mind, that voice he knew so well. _What do you think you're doing?_ His gaze travelled up past the boots and pants, the tan shirt, the very heavily crossed arms, to his wife's face. "Hey, Frey," he said, trying a smile.

"Daddy's playing," Ethan said, sitting back out of breath.

"So I can see."

"Well, you weren't here," Mal put in quickly. "And Inara fell in, and we … she … I …"

"Really." Freya just stared at them all.

"Nothing happened," Inara said, standing up as quickly as she could in a dress that was waterlogged and mud stained.

"Mmn."

"Honestly, we were just … it was just play." She patted at her hair, pushing it back from her face.

"Play."

"Honestly." Inara looked at her friend, seeing an inscrutability that even Zoe would be envious of. "I … think I'd better go and get changed," she added quickly, glancing at Mal.

"Yes. I think you'd better." Freya's voice betrayed nothing either.

Inara hurried quickly away, determined to ignore the oozing of certain portions of her anatomy as she did so.

Mal lifted Ethan to his feet, out of the mud, then attempted to stand himself, feeling things squelch everywhere. "Frey, nothing happened."

"I know that."

Mal paused. "You do?"

"I trust you."

"Then why the look?"

"Have you seen the state you're in?" She shook her head. "But that's not the point. I'm more upset you didn't wait for me." There was just a trace of hurt in her words.

"You wanted to get muddy?" He was surprised.

"Fun, Mal. You were having fun and I wasn't part of it."

Mal managed to get up, climbing from the puddle and dripping on the dry earth. "Frey, if you want to get disgusting, you only had to say."

"You don't …" She shook her head again and turned away. "It doesn't matter."

He crossed the small distance between them and took her hand. "Course it does. I don't want you to ever feel left out, _xin gan_." He pulled her around. "And if it we'd been playing with anyone else, I don't think it would've mattered so much, would it?"

She looked into his blue eyes. "Probably not." It was an agreement, but grudgingly given.

"Frey, you're …" He couldn't think of the right word to use, so instead said, "It was Inara, Frey. Inara. Rolling round in the mud. Getting … messy." He couldn't help it. He began to smile. "Inara. Who never has a hair out of place. Covered in crud."

Ethan giggled.

Freya tried to stay even a little bit mad, but the sight of her husband and son, head to toe in mud, and the memory of Inara squelching as she walked away … She felt her lips twitch.

Mal saw, and felt emboldened to step forwards, nearly but not quite touching her. "See," he said softly, "ain't no-one in this 'verse I'd rather be dirty with than you."

She had to laugh, and went to put her hand on his chest but stopped. "You're still filthy."

"I hope you're referring to my mind too," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Oh, yes."

"Daddy." Ethan tugged on his hand. "Flowers."

"Oh. Yeah." He reached up to the neck of his shirt, but realised the blooms Ethan had picked were gone. He glanced down into the muddy pool. "I … I think they're down there somewhere."

"Flowers?" Freya asked.

"I picked them for you," Ethan said. "But Daddy lost them."

"Sorry," Mal put in.

"I'll get some more." Ethan ran off towards the house and the wild flowers under the orchard trees.

Freya watched him go, a fond smile on her face, then turned back to Mal. "Don't do it again," she said.

"Try not to."

"And you're going to be the one to get him clean."

"I figured we'd better be doing that back on Serenity. Can't see Inara being too …" He stopped. "Course, she had to walk through the house looking like that." He looked pensive.

"Serenity," Freya said firmly.

"Aye aye," he said, saluting her.

She stuck out her tongue and turned to follow her son, only to feel a hand slapped onto her rump. She looked round, trying to see what he'd done. "Did you just …"

Mal looked innocent, doing an impression of his son that was hard to beat. "Nope. Not me. Must've been some other person put their muddy hand on your backside." He tipped his head to one side. "Looks kinda nice, though."

She glared at him.

---

Kaylee looked up from her scrambled eggs. "Hey, Cap, Freya. You're almost too late for breakfast."

Mal lifted his son into the chair. "Just had to wash up, _mei-mei_."

"It's good, too. Got eggs, real ham, and I think there's some of them biscuit things left, if Jayne ain't eaten 'em all."

"I didn't," the big man put in. "Had but the two."

"You feeling all right?" Hank asked. "Only two? Perhaps Simon ought to check you out for something. Simon, you need to check Jayne out."

"He had enough bacon to wipe out half the pigs on the planet," Simon said, wiping Hope's fingers. "I don't think he's likely to be dying any time soon."

Freya lifted one of the covers on the sideboard. "Ooh, yes. I do like scrambled eggs." She spooned some onto a plate and added a biscuit before handing it to Mal who put it in front of their son.

"Yum," Ethan said, tucking in.

Kaylee was about to say the orange juice was fresh too, when she noticed a handprint on the back of Freya's pants. It appeared to be … dried mud. She leaned over towards Zoe. "What do you suppose –"

The dark woman shook her head. "I wouldn't even bother asking, Kaylee," she murmured. "Not if you want a sensible answer."


	5. Chapter 5

Simon stretched, feeling tendons and muscles popping in his back. He'd not done anything quite so physical in a while, and it felt good.

Mr Boden leaned on his own axe and smiled. "You're going to ache in the morning."

Simon laughed. "Well, that's one of the good points about being a doctor. I can self-medicate." He glanced down at the pile of logs already split into a handy size, and the heap still waiting to be done. "And I think I may have to."

"You didn't need to help," Mr Boden pointed out. "My wife will be furious with me if she finds out."

"She won't hear it from me." Simon pushed his damp hair out of his face. "And if she does I'm more than happy to say it was for my benefit. When I was at Medacad, then at the hospital, I was used to enjoy doing physical activities when I was off duty. Hiking, climbing … even cycling. But on board Serenity it can be … well, difficult at times."

"I understand."

"I've even sneaked time on Jayne's work-out bench," Simon admitted. "After I'd disinfected it first, of course."

Mr Boden dropped his head to hide the grin. "From what Miss Inara has said, I didn't think there was enough food available to get fat."

"Not fat, certainly not on the quality or quantity of food we have sometimes." Simon looked down at his body. "Just out of condition." He picked up his axe, placing a new log on the chopping block. "I needed this." He swung, and a satisfactory _thwock_ rebounded through the garden as the two halves fell to the ground.

The other man smiled as he took a firm grip on the wooden handle, and for a long while there was just the double counterpoint of wood being cleanly cleaved, rhythmic and hypnotic.

Inara stood in the doorway, watching the two men work. Simon had actually stripped down to his undershirt, and she could see his muscles flexing with each stroke, the sweat beading on the fine hairs on his arms. She'd thought before how much he reminded her of Sam, the same strength in a slim body, but now she realised he was his own man, and as much as she tried, she couldn't imagine Sam out here splitting logs. Although maybe she was doing him a disservice. And the way Simon looked, perhaps she should suggest it …

"Miss Inara." Mr Boden stopped, having seen her from the corner of his eyes.

"You're doing a good job," she said, knowing she was blushing slightly as thoughts of Sam swinging an axe, naked, still bloomed in her mind. "Mrs Boden thought you'd like some refreshment," she added quickly, carrying the tray out into the sunshine.

The older man started guiltily. "She knows?"

"About Simon?" Inara laughed pleasantly. "She does. And she says she'll be having words with you later."

"I'll look forward to it, Miss." He couldn't have looked less convinced. "Let me take that."

Inara smiled and handed the tray over.

"Where is everyone else?" Simon asked, wiping at his forehead with the back of his hand as he took a glass of cool lemonade.

"The children are having lessons in the dining room, Mal and Zoe are –"

"Lessons? Is that fair?"

"Freya insisted." Inara folded her hands. "And she's quite right, too. It's important that they keep a routine, even when they're here."

Simon laughed. "Bethie must be dying of boredom."

"I think she is, with Ethan a close second."

He drained the glass. "Perhaps I should go in and rescue them."

"Your daughter will love you forever if you do."

"She will anyway, even when she's fifteen and hating me too for saying she can't go out with a young man the spitting image of Jayne."

Inara put her hand on his arm. "Oh, the joys of parenthood. And that reminds me … Mr Boden, could you give us a few minutes?" she asked. "I need to talk to Simon about something."

"Of course, Miss." He picked up the two axes. "I'll just go sharpen these again." Dipping his head he strode off towards his shed.

"Are you all right?" Simon asked, searching her face for any signs of pain or discomfort.

"I'm fine." She smiled. "But I … there's something rather delicate I need to speak to you about."

---

"Je suis, tu es, il est, elle est, nous sommes, vous …" Bethie's voice trailed off.

"Finish it," Freya said. "Come on, I know you know it."

"Then why do I have to –"

"Finish."

Bethie sighed heavily. "But the sun's out. And I don't see why I have to know French anyway. And Ethan says there's rabbits in the orchard."

She glanced at the little boy. "Rabbits?"

"'Es, Mama," Ethan said, nodding hard. "Saw them this morning."

"Well, don't go telling your Uncle Jayne. He'll be wanting to shoot them for the pot."

Ethan changed the nod to a shake. "Too pretty."

"Who? Jayne or the rabbits?"

"Rabbits." He giggled. "And Uncle Jayne."

"You think all the men on Serenity are pretty, don't you?" She pushed his hair out of his face.

"It's only 'cause he hasn't got anyone to compare them to," Bethie said astutely.

"I suppose that's true." Freya smiled. "But men are handsome, Ethan. Women are pretty."

"Bethie's pretty?" Ethan asked.

The little Tam preened as Freya said, "That's right. Only Bethie isn't quite big enough to be a woman yet."

"Soon," Bethie promised. "And I'll always be older'n you," she added, glaring at Ethan.

He sighed. "Tell me what to do all the time now."

"That's how it's s'posed to be."

"Bethie, stop teasing him," Freya admonished. "Come on. Just get through this and –"

The door opened and Kaylee walked in. "Oh, sorry, thought you were finished."

"Not quite." Freya suppressed a sigh, seeing the rest of the lesson disappearing fast for the horizon.

"Only I thought Bethie and Ethan'd like to come with me and see if we can figure out what's squeaking in the generator. Mr Boden's sure it's the fuel valve, but he ain't managed to fix it. I said I'd take a look." She grinned. "You know, give you and Mal a chance to have a little 'quality time' together." She even did the air-quotes thing, although it was one-handed as her left shoulder was still strapped.

"Mal's talking to Zoe and Hank about a possible job."

"No, he ain't. Least, if he is, he's doing it by himself. Zoe and Hank're taking a walk with Ben. They even offered to take Hope." She leaned a little closer. "I think they're going to find that mud hole."

Freya raised her eyebrows. "Who told you about that?"

"Inara might've let it slip after breakfast." She chuckled. "'Sides, we all saw that mark on your pants."

"I'd forgotten it was there."

"Yeah, sure. Wearing it like it was a badge of honour or something."

Freya didn't reply to that, knowing it was far too close to the truth. Instead she said, "If they come back covered in mud, it's nothing to do with me."

Bethie couldn't hold it in any longer. "Please, Auntie Frey? I promise we'll work extra hard tomorrow, won't we?" She looked at Ethan for support.

"Please, Mama?"

Freya looked from one to the other, almost bouncing in their seats, then back at Kaylee. "You do realise, as soon as you get them outside, they'll be off? I have it on good authority there are rabbits in the orchard, and I think little furry, bouncy things tend to come ahead of metal monsters that stink and blow smoke everywhere."

Kaylee grinned wider. "Only young once."

"With this crew, I'm not so sure." She sighed. "Okay. Just for today."

"Thanks, Mama!" Ethan said, sliding from his chair.

"Thank you, Auntie Frey!" Bethie echoed, jumping to the floor. She hurried to the door and opened it, nearly colliding with her father and Inara.

"Hey, where are you going?" Simon asked, doing his shirt back up and tucking it in.

"No more lessons!" Ethan crowed.

"And I was just coming to rescue you."

"Going to see the rabbits!" Bethie said, running past him and out of the front door.

"Rabbits?" He looked enquiringly at his wife.

She hooked her arm through his. "I'll explain later. Right now, you and me are gonna go take a look at the generator."

"Are we?"

"Sure we are."

"But you're wearing your pretty dress. Won't it get all –"

She pressed a little closer. "It's all warm in there. And dark. And the door locks."

The puzzled look on his face melted into something else entirely. "Ah." He grinned. "Looking at the generator. Right."

Kaylee flashed a smile at the two other women and led her husband towards the autumn afternoon.

Inara laughed, a light sound that was all at once playful and seductive, gazing after them. "Those two act like newlyweds."

"You told them?" Freya asked, a trace of asperity in her tone.

She turned back to her friend. "Told who what?"

"The others. About the mud."

Inara coloured, just a light haze on her cheeks. "I might have mentioned it. Kaylee saw me taking my clothes to Mrs Boden to see if she could get the stains out. I had to explain."

"To everyone."

"Well, Zoe and Hank were there anyway." Inara took a step forward. "Freya, nothing happened. I promise."

"I know."

"And nothing ever will. I've got over that phase."

"Mal was a phase?"

"I've got Sam now. And he's almost more than I can handle anyway."

"Hmmn."

"Hmmn? What does hmmn mean?"

Freya was looking at her in a mock-calculating fashion. "Well, I'm not sure. You come in here, and Simon's half-dressed …" She raised on eyebrow significantly.

Inara thumped her lightly on the arm. "Simon was chopping wood. And I wanted to talk to him, that was all."

A faint thread of unease wound around Freya's belly. "Anything to worry about?" she asked.

"No. Oh, no, nothing bad." Inara shook her head. "I just needed his advice."

"As a doctor or as a man?"

"As a doctor."

"This isn't making my concern go away."

"It's personal."

"Inara –"

"I told you. It's personal and nothing to worry about."

"You want I should get Mal? He'll tell me to peek, I'll do it, you'll get all huffy, there'll be a massive row –"

"I don't get huffy!"

"See, you're doing it now." Freya crossed her arms. "I can be just as nosy as the rest of them. And that's saying something."

Inara sighed. "I suppose it doesn't matter. I was just asking him about … about birth control."

"Birth …" Now it was Freya's turn to blush. "Oh. Sorry."

"It's just that Sam and I are … well, as I said before, we've been talking about children, but only as a long term idea. And I know my contraception injection is due to expire, and if I can't find a suitable alternative we may have to resort to condoms, and –"

Freya held up her hands. "Inara, enough."

"You asked."

"I did. And I should have kept my curiosity to myself."

Inara smiled. "It's okay. But you have to believe me, if there was anything wrong, I'd tell you."

"Okay." Freya glanced towards the front door where Simon had vanished. "Did he …"

"He's going to let me have some of the Bropaxin he has on hand. The efficacy is only three monthly, but it's easier to come off if we decide to … to have children."

"You think you might?"

"I don't know," Inara said honestly. "Sam has a grown-up daughter, grandchildren, and I've …"

"Been a Companion all your life."

"I wasn't supposed to have children, and when it happened, when Gregor and I …" She stopped, her white teeth delicately biting her lip.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Freya said gently, feeling guilty at making her friend think of the child she'd given up.

"You'd think I'd be okay with this by now, wouldn't you?" Inara said, watching motes of dust dancing in the shaft of light from a high window. "For so long I thought my son was dead, and then to find he was alive …"

"Colm is going to be a fine young man."

"But I won't be there to see it."

"You might. Domina could tell him."

Inara shook her head sadly. "She won't. And I don't blame her. For all I feel, for all I want Colm to know who his real mother is, she's the only one he's ever known. They're his parents, and all I'd ever be is the person who gave birth to him."

"You weren't thinking another baby might replace –"

"No!" Inara stopped, took a cleansing breath. "In fact, that's partly what Sam and I have been talking about. If we have children, it's because we both want them, because we want that physical proof to the world that we're a couple."

"Inara, you are. Anyone can see that."

"But you weren't sure, were you? At first."

Inara's insight shook Freya for a moment, but she answered honestly. "No. I wasn't sure. Not until the night of the storm. Coming back to you was one thing, but that –"

"I need him, Freya."

"More than you needed Mal?"

"It's different. Because Sam is different."

"You telling us he's sly, now?" Mal asked, wandering into the hall through the door leading to the kitchen.

Inara glared at him. "Of course. I thought you all knew. The only reason he's still here is because he wants to ravish all the men in their beds."

"Don't think Frey'd let him," Mal pointed out. "I kinda figure she'd fight for my honour."

"You never have," Freya murmured, and moved smartly out of the way of the hand that was aimed at her backside.

"See how much she loves me?" He shook his head. "And talking of that man of yours, he's waiting for you in the garden. Something about herbs?"

"Oh, I'd forgotten." Inara straightened her dress. "He's going to show Mrs Boden how to do a recipe his mother used to make, only we were going to check we had the herbs he needed."

"And it takes both of you? These herbs likely to fight back or something? Maybe they're carrying grenades. If you like I can go get Jayne –"

Inara glanced at Freya. "How do you put up with him?" she asked.

"Practice."

"Rather you than me." She gave Mal one more glare and stalked regally towards the kitchen.

As the door swung to behind her, Freya asked softly, "You were listening?"

"Of course." He pulled his wife towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist. "She okay?"

"I think so."

"You know, she'd make a good Mom. Never say it to her face, but she would. She looked after River when Simon first brought her on board, and being Kaylee's friend and all –" He stopped, seeing Freya's eyes tighten slightly. "All I'm saying is that she'll be good. But that's the past. You're the mother figure on board now. And you do a damn good job of it too."

"Just you remember that."

"Oh, I intend to." He smiled and leaned forward, capturing her lips in a deep kiss.

---

"Isn't this fun?" Hank said, watching Ben and Hope toddle through the long grass, hand in hand, talking to each other in their nonsense language.

"It's nice."

"Nice?" He stared at his wife. "Nice? The sun's warm, we're almost alone, there's no-one actively trying to kill us … and you say it's nice?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you want me to call it?"

"How about … wonderful? Or magnificent? Or maybe brilliant? I'll even settle for great."

"It's great."

"Now, you see, that don't work now. Not when I said it first. You gotta come up with something different to that."

Zoe couldn't help but smile. "Hank, it's nice. I'm not being derogatory. It's nice. Nice is good. Nice is all those things you said, and it's me and you, and the kids, and the fact that we're happy. Nice is right."

"Oh." He thought for a moment. "Okay. Nice." His grin reappeared. "I can live with nice." He took hold of her hand. "It's romantic, too."

"Mmn."

"You know, we could –"

"No, we couldn't. Not with Ben and Hope here."

"I guess not." He thought for a moment as they walked further. "We could always –"

"No."

"You don't know what I was gonna suggest."

"Wanna bet?"

"Thought I wasn't allowed to," Hank pointed out.

"Bad choice of words. And the answer is still no."

"How about tonight? Can I suggest it tonight?"

She smiled. "Wouldn't be you if you didn't."

There was a booming sound some distance off, and Hank looked questioningly at Zoe. "Was I too quick to say we weren't actively in danger?"

Zoe shook her head. "That's Jayne's rifle. I think he's after rabbits."

"He's killing bunnies?"

"That he is."

"That's cruel."

"You've eaten them before."

"I know, but … bunnies?"

"River won't let him slaughter all of them."

"But … bunnies?"

---

"Enough," River said, watching as Jayne picked up the small, blood-stained carcass.

"One more?" the big man asked, stuffing the dead rabbit into the sack.

"We have enough. Let them be now." She sat down carefully, Caleb in his blanket, and leaned against a tree trunk. "Besides, Ethan and Bethie are heading this way."

"Oh." Jayne quickly unloaded the rifle. "Yeah, guess we got enough." He slid down the bark to the ground next to her. "How's the kid?"

"Our son is fine. He slept through it all."

"How come?"

"I told him to." She ran her fingers delicately across the baby's forehead.

"Riv, is he –"

"No."

Jayne breathed a sigh of relief, then swallowed guiltily. "Not that I'd'a minded if'n he had been. Just might've been bad for him, is all." He forced a chuckle. "Not that he'd be a genius, not with half my genes."

"Your genes are good," River said firmly. "You are my husband, and Caleb's father, and I won't have you pretending you're stupid."

"Not pretending, moonbrain."

"Yes, you are. You do all the time." She turned her head so she could look into his blue eyes. "I know you."

Now the chuckle sounded real. "Guess maybe you do. But I'm not smart, River. Not like you and your bro. Takes me all my time to write a letter, so I know I ain't smart."

"Not the same. Smart isn't knowing which knife to use at the dinner table. Smart is knowing which knife to use to dispatch your enemy the quickest and with minimum of fuss. Smart is tracking a man across ten miles of open rock. Smart is still being alive." Her lips twitched. "Smart is stopping running long enough so that I could catch you."

He grinned. "Guess that's true. Must be a genius, then."

"And Caleb is smart, too, because he has you for a father. And you will teach him how to hunt, and shoot, and fish –"

"No fishing." He suppressed a shudder. "You know what I think about fish."

"No fishing," River agreed. "So hunt, shoot, survive. And I will teach him how to read, and count and calculate optimum trajectories."

"What about the pair of us? What'll we teach him together?"

She leaned into him, and he slipped his arm around her shoulders. "We'll teach him he is loved, and that nothing in the 'verse is ever going to harm him while we are here. And we'll teach him that, when we're not, he can still defend himself and his friends."

Jayne thought for a moment, then squeezed her gently. "That's a good set of teachings, River."

She smiled brightly. "I thought so."

There was a long pause. "Riv?"

"Mmn?"

"You going to sleep?"

"Resting my eyes."

"Oh. C'n I rest mine?"

"If you like. But you have to be awake for the visitors."

"The … who?"

---

"We're supposed to be fixing the generator," Kaylee said, her eyes closed.

"Were we?" Simon's voice was slightly muffled.

As Simon kissed down Kaylee's neck, the sound of an engine could be heard in the distance, coming closer, until it roared overhead.

Kaylee put her head on one side. "That sounds familiar," she said. "Only it can't be." She looked at him.

"What?"

"Simon, listen."

"You know I don't know one ship from another, Kaylee."

She pushed away from him, struggling pull up the strap of her dress from where it had inexplicably slipped to her waist. "It is! It's the Cressida!"


	6. Chapter 6

"The Cressida?" Jayne looked at River as a ship came down near the house. "Ya mean Theo and his crew?"

"Not all of it," River said, standing elegantly, Caleb held firmly against her chest. "But enough."

The big man grinned, jumping to his feet. "They come to see our new arrival?"

"Hermione has."

The grin faded a little. "Not sure I like the way you said that."

"There is more …"

---

Cressida settled to the ground next to Serenity, and almost before the engines had stopped the main hatch opened and a young woman stepped out. She held up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun, and was finally able to see a small group of people waiting outside the front doors of the house, with others heading their way through the trees. Suddenly four figures detached and ran forward, shouting.

Mal glanced at Freya, who'd been somewhat manhandled out of the way by the Reilly sisters, and chuckled. "You okay?" he asked.

"Oh, shiny." She adjusted Jesse on her hip.

Inara smothered a laugh. "We'll go over the rules of deportment again," she promised.

"I'd be grateful."

Mal put his arm around her shoulder. "You'd think they ain't seen her in years," he commented, watching the reunion and listening to the screams of delight. He glanced at Inara. "And I didn't think we were gonna."

Inara grinned. "It was a surprise. In fact they're early. They weren't supposed to arrive until tomorrow morning."

"I think it's shiny," Kaylee said, her face all bright, holding Simon's hand with her good one. "They're fine folk. And what we did, all that acting, was fun."

"I don't recall you saying that at the time, _mei-mei_," Mal reminded her. "In fact I seem to remember lots of cussing and the like."

"That wasn't me, Cap'n. That was you."

"Oh, yeah. So it was." He smiled. "And Frey." He turned back to the scene in front of him, and noted a large man stepping out of the ship. "There's Theo."

"He ain't changed."

"In a few months? Shouldn't think he would."

"He might. Etta might've put him on a diet," Simon commented.

Freya laughed. "There'd be mutiny if she tried."

"If Etta decided to, he'd do it," Mal said firmly. "We all know who wears the pants in that marriage."

"As it should be." She grinned at him, then blew him a kiss.

"Hmmn," he growled at her, then started to stroll towards the squealing group of young women. One of them detached herself, and moved forward.

"Uncle Mal?"

"Noni?" Now he couldn't help the grin on his face. "You sure that's you?"

"It is." Hermione Reilly – stage name Noni Reynolds – blushed.

"Not sure I'd've known you, girl, away from here." He looked her up and down. In the few months since she'd been with the Hawkins Troupe, she'd become a young lady, her face shining and bright, and full of self-confidence. Except for the blushing. He knew she'd had something of a crush on him, right from back when he'd first become the Reilly girls' guardian, and it didn't look to have abated at all. "But you look very pretty."

"Do I?" She looked down at her dress, the blush deepening. "It's just something I … It's just something to wear." Now she looked like the child she really was.

"Well, I'd hug you, but seeing as you're a young lady now and you probably don't take kindly to that kinda thing –"

She giggled and crossed the distance to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Noni, put him down," Freya said, smiling. "You don't know where he's been."

Noni let go, her face bright red. "Hello, Auntie Freya," she said.

"Come here." Freya enveloped her in an embrace, whispering in her ear, "Just take a breath."

"Okay."

Freya felt her do exactly that, breathing deeply, and when she let her go, Noni's colour was more normal. "Good. And you are looking so very fine. Very grown up."

"Perhaps my tuition paid off after all," Inara said, and she in turn got hugged.

"Noni!" Bethie yelled, running full pelt from the trees to her friend.

Noni yelped and went down onto her heels, hugging the little girl. "Missed you," she said.

"Me too." Bethie couldn't have grinned wider. "So much to tell you."

"Me too."

"Babies! And puppies!"

"Babies?"

"Well, only one, but there might be more on the way." She glanced up at Mal and giggled at his stern look.

"Hey, don't we get a hug?" Hank called, heading out of the orchard with Zoe, Jayne and River not far behind.

Mal left them welcoming each other and walked up to Theo. He held out his hand. "Good to see you."

They shook.

"I wasn't sure you'd be feeling like that," Theo said. "After before."

"What, you mean getting myself handcuffed to a lying _jien hro_ and nearly drowned just so you could do a little spying?" Mal waved a hand. "All in a day's work."

"That's not what you said back then."

"Well, I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt."

"That's nice of you."

"I'm a nice man." They shared a half smile. "So, Noni behaving herself?"

"She's been exemplary." He chuckled. "Of course, as soon as she heard about young River giving birth, she insisted we come here."

"And you gave in?"

"She begged. Mal, have you ever had a young woman turn the eyes on you? _And _the lip?"

Mal sighed. "All too often. Damn feminine wiles."

"She's a master of them."

"Figure they come outta the womb with a full working set. Talking of which, you drop Saffron off okay?"

"Saff … oh, you mean Janith."

"That woman goes by so many names I doubt even she remembers 'em all." He shook his head. "But you put her off on Boros like you planned?"

"That we did. And kept her locked in her room until we landed."

"From the outside?"

"Of course."

Mal looked approving. "You do like I suggested? Frisked her 'fore she stepped off your boat?"

"Etta did." Theo laughed. "I didn't know a woman could know such foul language."

"From bitter experience, very little about her surprises me."

Theo dropped his voice a little. "There was a man waiting for her."

"Oh?"

"Older, very well-dressed, appeared to have a great deal of money, at least from the groundcar he had at his disposal."

"Really?" This time the smile leaked out.

"Would you happen to know this individual?"

"Let's just say I might have an inkling." Mal laughed. "Did he manage to get her inside?"

"I think after the way she was claiming she'd been treated, she would have left in an Alliance paddy-wagon rather than stay with us." Theo chortled.

"Did Dur … did the man look like he believed her?"

Theo's chins disappeared into his chest as he showed all the signs of being extremely amused. "As it happens, no. He was very attentive, very courteous, but there was something about him …"

"Maybe he's learned. Getting your jaw broke'll do that to a man."

"Is there a tale behind this I need to hear?"

"Maybe one day. Over a glass or three of something strong."

"I'll look forward to it." Theo's mood darkened a shade. "Now. Walk with me?"

Mal glanced at the group all laughing and chattering by the door, then back at the imposing man next to him, noting the unusually serious look on his face. "Sure." They turned towards the orchard, the favourite place for conversations, Mal pondered. He just wondered what it was going to be about this time.

He didn't have long to wait. They were barely out of sight of the others before Theo spoke again.

"There are rumblings, Mal."

"Rumblings."

"Revolution."

Mal shrugged. "People've been talking about that kinda thing since the end of the war. We lost, that's what folk don't seem to get. And the Alliance ain't gonna be easy on letting anything get started again."

"It's more what the Alliance will do to stop it." Theo glanced around, almost as if he was afraid there were Feds hiding in the trees. "There are things going on you need to know."

"I hope you ain't been going back on your word to get out of that spying business," Mal said, stiffening slightly. "Not with me letting you take Noni under your wing."

"No, no. I promised, and I wouldn't break that. Besides, I'm too old for that caper. It's a young man's game. But we travel a lot, visit different worlds. You've seen that yourself. And in that travelling I still hear things."

"I'm not interested, Theo."

"But you were an Independent. You still wear that brown coat –"

"'Cause it's warm."

"And I have heard all about your proclivities on Unification Day."

"My what?"

"Mal, pretending to be some kind of space yokel won't change the subject."

"Still ain't interested."

"Don't you think it would be wise to hear what I have to say first, before dismissing it out of hand?"

"Nope."

"You are a stubborn man."

"It's said to be one of my finest qualities."

Theo had to laugh a little. "I think they were lying to you."

Mal looked at the older man. "Theo, I got a wife and kids, and a family. There's always been talk of gathering ranks, of men and women ready to fight for the cause of freedom, willing and able to arm up and take on the might of the Feds." He shook his head. "Ain't gonna happen."

"And if it's yours who are threatened?"

They stopped by the wrought iron chairs. "Mine?"

"I've seen a communiqué. I wasn't meant to, but actors are like waiters, we blend into the background when we need to. Someone is after your young friend Simon."

"Theo, the Alliance've been beating the trees for him and his sister for a long time. I'll admit there've been moments I thought maybe we'd won and they were safe, and yet more when I thought we'd lost 'em for good. Luckily that ain't happened as yet, and I'm praying it won't."

"I don't mean the Alliance."

Mal looked up sharply. "Then who?"

"Where I was, when I saw this message … it was in the company of an Independent sympathiser."

His jaw dropped. "What?"

"It's not just the Alliance you need to worry about. You have to be careful of your friends too."

Mal sat down in the iron chair and closed his eyes. "When? When d'you see this letter?"

"Two months ago." Theo eased his large frame next to him. "I couldn't wave you."

"No. I conjure you're right about that. But …" He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Any idea why? Did this message say why they want Simon and River?"

"Only Simon."

Mal's eyes flew open. "What?"

"It only mentioned Simon. And someone named Andrew Brooks."

Andrew Brooks on Corvus. If someone had found out what Andrew knew, and … "_Run-tse duh fwo-tzoo_."

"I take it you aren't ignorant of the matter."

"Depends. What else did that thing say?"

"I couldn't get too close a look at it. My … the man who had it put it away very quickly, but it said the search was continuing, and as agreed it was taking a softly softly approach. It used those words. Unfortunately, it went on to say that the time may come when a more straightforward line of attack would be necessary, as had been proved in the case of Andrew Brooks. That was it."

"You sure? Nothing else?"

"I'm an actor, Mal. I memorise lines easily, and I don't make mistakes, not with something this important."

"Sorry."

"But the truth is I don't even know who it was from. Do you know what it was talking about?"

Mal didn't speak, just let the memory of standing in that bedroom, seeing the old man fighting to stay alive long enough to pass on what he knew. Talking of Simon and River, about how they were created from the same donor father, but different mothers …

"_Simon, I think there's more to it than that. When they found what they thought was the perfect_ _combination, they used it again." Andrew Brooks struggled to take breath._

"_How many times?" Simon asked hoarsely, leaning over the bed._

"_For as many eggs as they had. Some dozen or so."_

"_Dozen …" Simon couldn't help the image in his brain of a row of children like River, all sitting in those chairs, probes in their skulls …_

"_They're not," Andrew said, almost reading his mind. "Like River. As far as I can find out, most showed no sign of her level of skills, if any. I think … I think you're the key."_

"_Me?"_

"_They thought it was the female bloodline, but I think they're wrong. I think River would have been like this no matter who her natural mother was. That in this case it was the male line that carried the psychic gene." He grabbed Simon's arm, his grip surprisingly powerful. "I think they've realised this, and it's why they're still looking for you. There's no other reason for the warrants to be still active. Miranda's over, long done, and they can't possibly believe River can hurt them any more. It's you they want, Simon. And Bethany."_

_Mal pushed away from the wall. "Bethie?" he asked._

"_If she's in any way gifted, they'll want to breed from her."_

"_Wuh de mah …" Simon breathed._

"_You need to keep her safe. If they ever find out about her …" He coughed, letting go of Simon's arm to wipe at his lips and the blood that stained them, his form quaking with pain._

Mal shook himself. "No mention of Bethie?"

"No."

He released a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. "I can see how it might read," he admitted. "But it could just as easily have been talking about finding him to tell him he'd won the Osiris lottery."

"And I might have thought that, but … It isn't just them, Mal. I'm afraid that's just the tip of a large and very dirty iceberg."

"You'd better go on."

"That outbreak on Persephone, the illness that killed a number of people … you are aware of it? A year ago?"

Mal nodded. "Heard about it." To his knowledge no-one had informed Theo or his troupe about Freya and Kaylee getting sick, and he wasn't about to go into it now. The memory of having to tell Dillon's doctors to save Freya by giving her the vaccine, even at the possible cost of their daughter, still weighed heavily on him. If Jesse hadn't been fine, been the beautiful little girl that she was, he didn't know what he would have done.

"It's happened elsewhere. Nowhere near as large, almost as if it was being contained deliberately."

"Rim moons?" Mal asked, knowing the answer.

Theo nodded unhappily. "I don't know whose side was responsible, but –"

"Side?"

"I haven't changed my views, Mal, even if I don't act on them any longer. I'm behind independence as a matter of belief, like you."

Mal shook his head. "I'm just a transport captain trying to make a living –"

"You're lying to yourself if you think that."

"Maybe I am. But I ain't going to war. With all the belief in the 'verse behind us, I don't ever see us winning that kinda fight, not with the firepower the Alliance has out there." He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped. "I keep my ear to the Cortex, just as much as the next man. I know they're rolling cruisers off the production line fast as they can, spreading themselves further out than ever. Anyone even begins an insurrection they'll be put down faster'n Jayne can cuss."

Theo looked closely at him, seeing the obstinacy in the other man. "You think it'll be battles, like before. But I'm afraid there won't be a war, Mal. At least, nothing so clean."

"War ain't clean."

"Oh, it's pristine compared to what may happen. Each side pecking at the other, using any and all dirty methods at its disposal, and people dying, not because they signed up to fight, but just because they're caught in the middle. What happened on Shadow was just a taster. If the war had continued, other sons wouldn't have had a home to go to."

"And what do you think this has to do with me?" Mal asked, a memory flashing across his mind of a grey land, grey sky, and a grey headstone propped against the remains of his home … "I ain't gonna fight, Theo. I lost everything in that damn war, and it's taken me this long to get any of it back."

Theo sighed. "I had an inkling you'd be like this."

"Then you pretty much knew what I'd say."

"And I'm sorry. If we could find the men, the firepower, make a clean strike, take out the Alliance at its source –"

"And if wishes were horses all men would ride." Mal shook his head. "Like I said, war ain't clean. I've read about campaigns before, getting bogged down 'cause neither side could claim an outright win. Hell, I experienced it. And it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference if I were leading them or not."

"You don't have much faith in your abilities."

"All I was good for was leading them to their deaths."

"You know that isn't the case."

"You ask all the boys and girls who didn't get to leave Serenity Valley."

Theo heard the bitterness in his voice and sat back. "Well, I've done what I can. And I've warned you about Simon."

"And I'm grateful. But we've been running a long while, and it won't make that much of a difference that someone else is after us now."

"But you'll think on it? What I've said?"

"Get involved?" Mal shook his head. "I'm no general. Not even a captain, back then. Had to buy my way to that by getting my own boat. But I don't have the fire no more. The utter faith in winning. That got burned out of me. Now I keep me and mine safe. And if that means hiding under a rock, I'll do it."

Theo studied him, then smiled. "I know you'd like to believe that, but I know people. I've played enough in my time. And you're an honourable man, Malcolm Reynolds."

"Then I'm an honourable man who ain't gonna fight." He stood up. "I think we'd better be getting back to the house, 'fore all the womenfolk start wondering where we got to."

"Etta will certainly be looking for us," Theo agreed, levering himself out of the chair.

"Frey too."

"It's amazing how our lady loves keep us on our toes, isn't it?"

"Can't live with 'em, can't toss 'em out the airlock."

Theo laughed. "By the way, we can't stay," he added as they walked back. "At least, we have to leave tomorrow. That's why we're here early. We have an extra performance on Magdalene."

Mal cracked a smile. "Always looking for the paying job."

"We're not so different, Mal."

"Guess not."

As they approached the house, only Freya was outside, waiting for them. "Everyone's gone into the dining room, and Mrs Boden is performing miracles."

"Ah, the famous Mrs Boden." Theo laughed, his chins wobbling. "I have to meet this lady. Perhaps I can steal her away."

"You'd be fighting Jayne if you tried," Mal pointed out. "If that man ever leaves River, it'll be for the best cook in the 'verse."

The laughter rolled out of the large actor, and he walked into the house.

"You okay?" Freya asked, looking at Mal carefully.

He pulled her into his arms. "I'm fine."

"But. There's a but hanging there."

"You were peeking?"

"No." She shook her head. "But I can feel it coming off you, Mal. You're … disquieted."

He looked into her brown eyes. "Can we hold this conversation until later?"

"Sure. If you want."

"I do. I just need to think on things a little."

"Okay." She still looked concerned. "As long as –"

"I will tell you. Promise." He smiled. "And you know I keep my promises."

"Okay."

"Come on. I'd like to see these miracles Mrs Boden's performing myself."

"Well, you know the parable of the loaves and fishes …"


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione sat in the deep armchair in the yellow drawing room, Caleb asleep in her arms, his blanket wrapped securely around him. She kept touching his face, just gently. "He's so small," she said, a mantra she'd been repeating ever since River let her hold him. "So small."

"You wouldn't have thought that if you'd had to give birth to him," his mother said.

Noni blushed.

"Hell, moonbrain, she ain't gotta be thinking about things like that," Jayne complained. "Not at her age."

"When is the right age to be thinking about things like that?" River asked, quite seriously, her dark eyes on him. "There doesn't seem to be an agreed birthday throughout the 'verse from which sex is allowed, and where there are rules they seem entirely arbitrary."

"Huh?"

"I'd like to know," she explained. "Particularly as it's not something I had experience of, as I was …" She shuddered slightly and didn't continue with that thought. "Anyway, so far everyone I've met seems to be different. Mal was fourteen, yet Freya was much older. Kaylee was very young, but Simon …" Her nose wrinkled at the thought of her brother having sex. "And you -"

"We ain't talking about me," Jayne put in quickly.

"Was she nice to you?"

"Huh?"

"The whore they took you to. Was she nice? Did she make it pleasant for you?"

"You really wanna be going into that?"

"I'm curious."

"And I think you're doin' this on purpose."

River flashed him a grin. "Perhaps."

"Well, I'm figuring that kinda conversation's best left 'til bedtime, and Noni's too young to be hearing it in the first place."

Hermione's head dropped and the blush on her cheeks deepened.

River understood. "I think we might be too late."

Jayne mock-bristled. "That so? You getting up to something you shouldn't?"

"No, no!" Noni protested. Then a smile lifted her lips. "I just … there's this boy I met. On Beaumonde. He … we've been waving each other."

Jayne stood up. "What's his name? And his Cortex address. 'Cause I think maybe I should –"

"Stop it," River said gently. "You're not going to get involved."

"But he's hitting on Noni."

"Actually it sounds like it's the other way around." River looked at the girl. "Is it?"

Noni giggled. "Pretty much." She dropped her head. "He's the son of a theatre owner where we played. He … we just got talking."

"Long as it's only that," Jayne said, dropping back into the chair. "Otherwise I think it'd be beholden for me to tell Mal. She's too young for … that kinda thing."

"And there speaks a man of great maturity," River said, tempering her words with a grin.

"That's right," Jayne agreed. "Mature. That's me."

"How old are …" Noni bit the words off but it was too late.

Jayne laughed. "As young as my hair and older'n my teeth."

"What?"

"What?" River echoed.

Jayne had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "Something my Ma used to say."

"Oh. That's all right, then."

Noni bit her lip. "I wanted to say … I was sorry to hear about her." She sniffed a little. "I liked her. A lot."

"She liked you too," Jayne said. "And … thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Anyway, it's Mal you wanna be thinking about when it comes to age," Jayne said, changing the subject as he pulled Binky from the sheath at his waist and began cleaning his fingernails. "He's got a birthday coming up that's just gonna be pure fun. Least, from our point of view." He growled with laughter.

"Oh?"

"Jayne," River admonished. "He doesn't want a fuss."

"What he wants and what he gets ain't likely to be similar."

The door opened silently, and Mrs Boden entered. "Excuse me, but … Mr Cobb?"

"Yeah?" Jayne saw the look on River's face and stood up quickly, putting Binky away. "I mean, yes, ma'am?"

"Would you be able to perhaps supply me with a few more of those rabbits? I had not anticipated quite so many mouths to feed, and I'm not sure my stores will stretch that far –"

The big man grinned. "Course I can. Ya want me to skin and gut 'em too? 'Way from the house?"

"If it isn't too much trouble."

"No trouble." He headed for the door. "Half dozen do ya?"

"That would be most helpful." She smiled at him.

He paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Say, you know how to do an Ezra Pot?"

Mrs Boden shook her head. "I don't think I've heard of that dish. Perhaps you could give me the recipe."

"Well, it was something my Ma used to make, and I ain't never found anything like it." He held the door open and let her precede him. "What it is, see, is … you take your rabbit and you …" His voice faded as the door closed behind him.

After a moment, Hermione asked softly, "What's it like?"

"What?" River said, sitting on the chair arm.

"Being in love."

River considered. "It's like knowing all the best secrets in the 'verse. Or rolling in melted chocolate. I haven't quite decided."

Noni stared at her, then laughed, waking Caleb. He mumbled his fingers in his mouth then started to take a deep breath. "River …"

"Give him to me." River took her son and held him close, crooning over him. Immediately his eyes began to close again, and he drifted off. "He's a good boy," she said softly.

Noni watched her, her head slightly on one side. "I like the name Caleb, by the way. Is it for anyone?"

"Mal had an uncle by that name," River explained. "It's a long story, but he tried to save a great many people, and Jayne was … well, he respected that." She stroked her son's forehead. "And Francis is for Jayne's father."

"What about you? Didn't you want your father's name to be used?"

River shook her head. "It wouldn't be appropriate."

"I don't understand."

River wasn't about to explain, but simply said, "Mal is as close as a father to me. So his uncle is my uncle. In a way, Caleb is honouring my family too."

Noni's brow furrowed. "I still don't understand."

"You don't have to." She suddenly smiled. "Do you want to hold him again?"

The young girl's face brightened. "Could I?"

_---_

Later than evening, in the room Kaylee still insisted on calling the ballroom, the massed ranks of Serenity and Cressida gathered, and conversation surged softly like a stream babbling over stones and pebbles.

_By the buffet table, groaning with food miraculously prepared by Mrs Boden …_

"I can't believe she managed to do all this." Simon shook his head. "And so quickly."

River delicately nibbled at something on a stick. "I think her husband probably helped."

"Yes, but all of this …"

"Jayne donated the rabbits he shot."

Simon stared down at the meat on his plate. "Are you saying that this is –"

"Don't be a boob."

_By the window, looking out onto the Lazarene night …_

"So, how did that happen?" Etta asked.

Kaylee touched the strapping. "I slipped. In the engine room."

"I keep telling Theo, Pol has to be so careful. I'm surprised she hasn't damaged herself more often."

"It's part of being a mechanic," Kaylee said, glossing over the fact that it was River who had done the damage. "Ya get hurt once in a while, but mostly it's just nicks or burns." She leaned forward. "Although I do wonder sometimes whether the fumes make me hallucinate. Is that Mikel holding Pol's hand?"

Etta smiled. "It certainly is."

"How long's that been going on?"

"Almost two months."

"I'm so glad to hear that. She used to talk about him, when we were discussing engines."

"Theo says Cressida hasn't run so sweetly before. He thinks it's something to do with her being happy."

"You know, I wouldn't be at all surprised."

_Back by the food …_

"I don't know how she did it, but she managed to make it taste almost as good as my Ma's." Jayne lifted another forkful of stew into his mouth, careful not to drop any on Caleb hanging in the sling across his chest.

Hank nodded. "Have to say, Jayne, it is good."

"A'course, when my Ma did it, it was really only when we didn't have the cash to get anything else. So it was kinda using up what was left. And there was only meat in it when Pa managed to bag a few with his rifle."

"A few what?" Hank asked, chewing happily.

"Rabbits, a'course." Jayne spooned another helping onto his plate and wandered off.

Hank stared after him, his mouth open. "Bunnies?"

_By the fireplace, the logs crackling as the flames consumed them …_

"I was Juliet. It was very exciting." Noni was grinning widely.

"Who was Romeo?" Inara asked.

"Toby." A slight grimace crossed her face.

"What was wrong with that?"

"I had to kiss him!"

Inara had to smile. "I'm sure found it just as awkward."

"I think he did. But he kept making me laugh, and Theo got cross with us."

"Theo?"

"Well, he looked at me and made me feel guilty." Noni shook her head. "How do men do that?"

"It's masculine wiles," Inara explained. "The trick is to turn it back on them and make them feel guilty for making you feel guilty in the first place."

"Yes, but if it's our fault -"

"You never admit to that. Not unless it's to your advantage."

"Advantage?"

Inara leaned forward so no-one could overhear. "I think we need to do a little advanced training, Noni."

Hermione nodded, her eyes huge.

_By the drinks table …_

"He's a good-looking kid," Toby said, looking down into the sling and wondering how a man could actually look more manly carrying a baby. "Looks just like you."

"Gimme a few seconds to decide if I'm gonna take offence at that or not," Jayne growled good-naturedly.

"Take it that I was complimentin' ya." His Dyton accent seemed more pronounced than usual, probably due to the amount of alcohol he'd been consuming. "So, you and River … still strong?"

"You still sly?"

"Yeah."

"Same."

"Pity."

"Not to me."

"Well, you ever change your mind …"

"You'll be the first to know."

"Shiny. Drink?"

"Don't mind if I do."

_By the chairs resting against one wall …_

"They're watching him again," River said softly.

Freya, Jesse asleep in her arms, looked in the same direction. "Who, the Reilly girls?"

River nodded. "Letitia and Rosemary, mostly."

"It's just a crush."

"They think he's _suai_."

"Well, he is." She flinched slightly at the intensity of the look River turned on her. "And he's yours. Forever. That's what the Preacher said. And you've got the ring to prove it." She touched the tattoo around the young woman's finger. "That won't go away."

River stared a moment longer, then dropped her eyes. "I know. It's just …"

"Having children knocks your confidence somewhat," Freya said, taking hold of her hand. "I know. For weeks I was convinced Mal wouldn't ever look at me again without seeing a mother, not a lover." Her lips twitched. "Then we were able to make love, and I realised I was being _er bai wu_."

"You're not stupid."

"Oh, I was. The truth is, Mal loves me. Jayne loves you. It's a simple equation."

"But if there are variables thrown in –"

"It won't make any difference."

River turned her gaze back to Jayne. "I think I need to be with my husband a while."

"Good idea."

_By the small Cortex box, playing music softly …_

"You still want that other baby, don't you, _xiao mei-mei_?" Mal said softly, standing next to his mechanic as she watched River take Caleb from Jayne.

Kaylee shrugged. "I got Bethie and Hope. Too many women don't even have one baby. But …" She stopped, closing her mouth firmly.

"But it still makes you feel jealous."

She jerked her head around to glare at him. "Not jealous." The fire in her eyes died. "Not really. There's no way in the 'verse I'd want River not to have Caleb. Not so's I could have one."

"I know." They watched the new mother for a while longer. "Think this is gonna make her more crazy than she was?" Mal finally asked.

"Prob'ly." Kaylee could help the snort of laughter. "Hiding in the cupboard."

Mal grinned too. "Yeah, that's River."

"Uncle Mal, will you dance with me?" Bethie asked, materialising in front of him.

Mal went down onto his heels. "Well, looks to me like nobody's dancing, short stub."

"Someone has to be first." She twisted her foot on the floor. "Do you like my dress?" she asked.

"I think you're very pretty."

Bethie grinned. "Auntie Frey says it's women who are pretty. So I'm a woman."

Kaylee smiled. "I think you've a little way to go yet, sweetie," she said.

"But Auntie Frey said so."

"Then that must be the case," Mal assured her. "And if that's true then as a gentleman I guess I can't turn down the offer from a pretty young lady such as yourself." He held out his hands. "Looks like I'm dancing."

_By the tall jardinière containing a wild riot of late flowers …_

"She played the part to perfection," Theo said, smiling indulgently across the room at Hermione. "For someone so young she has great stage presence."

"She's very talented," Freya agreed.

"Of course, it was only on some of the more off-Core worlds, but I see a bright future for her."

"I'm glad she's behaving herself."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Theo laughed, his great girth vibrating. "But it's so wonderful to have a young person like her around again. It's given Etta something of a new lease of life, being able to look after her. And they're so close, especially after …" He paused, and Freya squeezed his arm.

"I understand," she said softly.

"I believe you do." His mod lightened. "And I still want you to come and work for me. Between the two of us, I could see the Hawkins Troupe reclaiming its rightful place in the footlights of society."

"I've got more than enough to keep me busy here," Freya said, grinning. "But thanks for the offer."

"My dear lady, I would sell Cressida to persuade you." He took her hand and kissed it, bowing low.

"Etta warned me about you," she said. "All the tricks you actors have."

"No tricks, I assure you."

Freya was about to answer but felt a tug on her pants. She looked down.

"Mama, will you dance with me?" Ethan asked, his blue eyes shining. "Daddy's dancing with Bethie, and I want to." He glanced at Theo. "Please?"

Theo laughed again, the sound cutting across the conversations in the room and turning all eyes onto them. "I don't think I've ever heard such a polite request," he said. "And I think it's a good idea. Where's my wife?" He hurried away through the crowd.

Freya smiled at Ethan. "You want to dance with me?"

"'Es. You're my Mama."

She felt her heart fill, and her skin warm. "Then I'd be delighted." She took his hand and let him lead her into the centre of the room where Mal and little Bethie were already moving to the music.

"Shall we?" Simon said to Inara as they stood at the food table.

"Care to take my arm?" Hank asked Pol, putting his drink down.

"Fancy a turn with me?" Sam inquired of Zoe, smiling at her.

"Wanna show 'em how it's done?" Toby nudged Kaylee.

"Oh, come on," River said to Jayne, handing Caleb to Hermione as she pulled her protesting husband out onto the floor.

In a few moments the whole party was dancing, and partners changed hands constantly, flowing through the room. Husbands touched wives only to find them whisked away again, until everyone had danced with everyone else, conversations half held and lost in the noise.

"Sir, are you okay?" Zoe asked as Mal found Kaylee had been pulled from his embrace to be replaced by his first mate.

"Shiny, Zoe."

"Only you seem a bit distracted."

"I'm trying to remember the dance steps. And there's a lot of people in here."

"Not that kind." She let him lead her around Simon and Freya. "You've had something on your mind since you talked to Theo."

He concentrated on not falling over his own feet for a moment, then said, "I … we'd best be having a meeting tomorrow, after the Cressida's gone. There's stuff we probably all need to talk 'bout."

"Should I be worried?"

"Not more'n usual. Well, not much more."

"Sir -"

"Just enjoy this evening."

"Is that an order?"

"It is."

She smiled. "One of your more pleasant ones," she said, as Hank took her hand and gave him River instead. "More than happy to obey," she added as she was whisked away.


	8. Chapter 8

"I am sorry we can't stay longer," Theo said, clasping Mal's hand. "But business is business."

"We won't be dirtside much more ourselves." Mal shrugged. "We need work, and all these extra mouths to feed …"

Theo laughed. "Ah, the problems of having a big family."

"Ain't it just."

"And don't tell me you're intending to stop at two yourself."

Mal smirked. "I'm captain. I get to do what I like. Comes with the territory."

"It does." Theo gazed at the younger man. "Will you at least think about what I told you? Consider coming in on the right side, if the time comes?" He was trying not to wheedle, but his tone came close.

"I'm not sure the time'll ever come."

Theo noted the set line of Mal's mouth, the determination in his eyes. "As I said before, you're stubborn."

"And it's kept me and mine alive for a long while, Theo." He sighed. "Look. There are others … people who're pretty much of the same mind as you, people who might …" Mal stopped. "You let me know if you hear anything. Anything more'n rumours. I'll pass it on. 'N' I'll do the same back. That's about all I can promise."

"It's more than I expected," Theo said frankly.

"Had me a good night last night."

"And a conversation with your wife?"

Mal grinned. "Frey's always made me see sense. Well, most of the time."

"I think that's what wives are for, Mal." Theo chuckled. "As well as for making us go grey."

"Hey, speak for yourself," he protested, then grinned. "But you got that right." They shook again. "So you keep to our agreement, and don't go getting involved in anything might hurt Noni, okay?"

"I promise." Theo let go and stood back. "And you keep your family safe."

"I intend to."

The actor strode back to his ship, where Hermione was waiting in the hatchway, waving frantically to all the people outside the house. She moved aside to let Theo in, but was immediately back.

"Bye, Uncle Mal!" she shouted. "See you soon!"

"Be good," he called above the sound of the Cressida's engines starting to rise. "And do what you're told."

"What?"

"Do what you're told!"

"Can't hear you," she responded, but the grin on her face was enough.

"Yeah, right," Mal murmured. He waved again as the hatch closed, stepping back. Cressida lifted off the ground, throwing dust and debris into the air, and he had to close his eyes for a moment, blinking hard to clear them. As soon as he could see again he looked up, barely in time to see the ship vanish into the clouds, and Lazarus felt emptier than it had a minute ago.

"Sir," Zoe said behind him. "Ready for that talk now?"

Mal glanced over his shoulder at her. "I think so. Dining room. Five minutes."

---

"Ain't my fault," Jayne insisted. "They're the ones keep following me around."

River glared at him. "And you encourage them!"

"Not a bit."

"Then you don't discourage them."

"River, what's all this about?"

She looked at the floor, suddenly finding something intensely fascinating about the motes of dust dancing around her feet. "Nothing."

"Nothing. Right." He went to put his hands on her shoulders but she stepped back, so he crossed to the dining table and sat down. "Seems to me there's something."

She shook her head. "No."

"Okay." He put his feet onto the polished wood. "'Cause all I did before was show 'em how to use my guns. Reckon even girls learning how to be women under Inara need to know how to defend themselves. That was all. If'n they took it into their heads that I was some kinda hero, that's up to them."

"They're children!" She lifted her head, glaring at him.

"Maybe. 'Cept Val and Phoebe ain't that much younger'n you. And on some planets they'd most be married by now. But that ain't the point." He put his hands behind his head. "Maybe it's right that they look up to me. Like a father figure. Hell, it ain't like Mal's making that good a job of it."

Suddenly she was in front of him, her fists balled. "Mal is a good father. To all of us."

Just as quickly he sat up, taking hold of her arms and pulling her down to his lap. "I know, moonbrain. And I'm just teasing you, trying to make you see this is all just crazy talk." He held her close, even though her body was stiff in his embrace. "Simon said there might be something like this, 'though I'd never've thought it was you getting jealous over little spits like them girls."

"Not jealous."

"No?"

She turned her head to look at him, her gaze boring into the depths of his blue eyes. "Fat."

"Who, me?"

"Me."

"No, you ain't."

She touched her belly, still soft from carrying Caleb. "Am."

"Are not."

"Am too."

He suddenly chuckled. "We likely to have an argument over that, now, too?"

"Not if you agree with me."

He put his hand on top of hers, rubbing gently in circular motions, feeling her begin to relax. "Your bro's amazed how quick you're fixing back up, River. Took Kaylee a lot longer, and Frey too. But you've been holding my son safe, and that changes things. Can't expect them things to go back to how they were just like that."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Why not?"

"'Cause you're human."

"Am I?"

"Sure you are. Crazy, yeah, but you're still a person, and persons don't –"

He was interrupted by the door opening.

"I'm not getting a good feeling about this," Hank was saying.

"I don't think anyone is, dear," Zoe responded, following him inside, putting Ben down to the floor.

"If the Cap want to talk to us all, I'm thinking it's bad," Kaylee commented.

Simon nodded. "Otherwise he'd wait until we were sitting down to eat."

Inara was silent, but held tightly to Sam's hand.

"Do _you_ know what this is about?" Hank asked River.

"Darkness."

"What?"

"There's darkness. A fog." She shook her head. "And I won't peek."

"Not asking for that, honey, just an idea. Are we likely to end up dead?"

"Eventually."

"Like … how soon?"

She didn't answer, just gazed at him with her huge dark eyes, and everyone felt a chill settle around them.

The door opened again, and Bethie bounced in, Ethan close behind, Hope holding his shirtsleeve. "Momma, Ethan wants to know what's going on," the little girl announced.

Ethan rolled his eyes, but kept quiet.

"We're just gonna talk, Bethie," Kaylee said, going down onto her heels and brushing her daughter's hair out of her face. "That's all."

"Can we listen?"

"Don't think that's a good idea, pumpkin," Mal said from the doorway. "It's grown-up talk."

Bethie glared at him. "I'm nearly grown-up."

"Not nearly enough. Not today." He smiled at her. "You go on and play somewhere else for a while."

"But Uncle Mal –"

"No arguing." His voice was firm, his manner unshakeable.

Bethie looked for support from her mother and father, but found none. She sighed heavily. "Come on," she said, taking Ethan and Ben by the hand. "Let's go play with the puppies. While they talk about _important_ things."

"Important," Ethan agreed, leading Hope out into the hall.

Freya closed the door behind them. "You know Bethie's probably aware what you're gonna talk to us about, don't you?" she said, looking at Mal.

"Can't help that. But it's not something I want the other kids to hear about."

Hank swallowed. "Is it really that bad?"

"It might be."

The pilot sat down next to his wife, taking her hand. "Better get on with it, then."

Mal glanced at Freya, who nodded slightly. Walking to the empty fireplace, he hooked his thumbs into his pockets and began, "Theo and me had a conversation yesterday. 'Bout things he's heard, things he's seen …" It didn't take long to go over the little information he had, added to what Andrew Brooks had worked out, but by the end most of the people in front of him looked shocked.

"Sir, that's …" Zoe for once found herself without words.

"Yeah."

Hank stirred. "You know, that kinda makes sense. Oh, not the rest of it, but the revolution part." He realised everyone was looking at him oddly. "It's just … before I joined you, I did a lot of odd jobs, flying this and that. And one of my previous captains was a staunch supporter of the Independent cause. He kept going on about arms being stockpiled, that what goes around comes around. I just thought he was crazy, but maybe he wasn't. Well, maybe not so much. He still carried on talking to a parrot on his shoulder."

"Lots of people talk to pets," Freya put in.

"Yeah, 'cept this one had been dead more'n a decade."

"Ah."

"Needless to say I left his employ at the earliest opportunity." He laughed shortly. "Then I come here and it's like déjà vu."

"I don't recall ever talking to a dead parrot," Mal pointed out, but he was glad the pilot had spoken. His comments had broken a little of the tension in the room. "Least, not for a while." He straightened his shoulders. "But at least we're a bit better informed now."

"Are you sure they ain't after Bethie?" Kaylee asked, her fingernails digging into the palms of her hands.

"No. Can't say I am, because I'm not," Mal admitted. "Theo didn't see much and not one of us can guarantee she ain't mentioned elsewhere."

"Mal, I couldn't bear anything happening to her."

"I know, _mei-mei_. And you know I'd die 'fore I let that occur. So'd any one of us. Hell, _all_ of us." He looked around at his crew, who were all nodding in agreement. "But it ain't like this is something new. We've always been chased by someone or other … now we're just adding to the list."

"I'm sorry, Mal," Simon said. "It's all my fault."

"How'd you figure that?"

"It's me they're after, and that's putting all of you at risk. Perhaps it would be better if I –"

"No!" Kaylee jumped to her feet, glaring at him. "You stop right there!"

"Kaylee, I was just going to suggest –"

"No! One more word and I'll …. I'll … sick Jayne on you!" She was furious, her anger fuelled by fear. "You ain't going nowhere!"

He reached for her. "But if it –"

Kaylee backed away and pointed at him. "Jayne."

The big man stood up slowly. "My pleasure."

Simon looked to his sister for protection, but she just shrugged and said, "I'm not going to stop him."

"Jayne, you sit back down," Mal ordered. "This ain't the time for bloodshed. Not yet. Keep that until you're in your bunks." He looked back at the young doctor. "But she's right, Simon. Told you once before that you were safer on the move, and that ain't changed. So no more talk about you leaving Serenity."

Simon looked at him then nodded, relaxing just a micron. "Okay."

"But we need to take precautions. Be sensible." He lifted his chin, ready to give orders. "You don't go out alone, and you carry a beacon at all times you're off the ship. You and River. Bethie too." He looked at Kaylee. "Can you rig something? Small enough so it ain't obvious?"

"Sure." Her brow furrowed in concentration, already planning it in her mind. "Prob'ly got most of the parts, but I might need to buy some bits."

"You make a list, give it to me. I'll make sure you get what you need." He turned back to Simon. "You don't use the Cortex 'less you have to. You wanna talk to someone, you write, or you tell me and I'll do it."

"I hardly contact anyone," Simon pointed out.

"Well, I'm sorry you ain't got many friends, but that's probably for the best."

"It's nice to be so popular."

Mal suppressed a smile at his dry tone. "People, just remember, we ain't no worse off than we were before, but this's just brought it closer to home."

"Do you think Theo was right, sir? That we can't trust our friends either?" Zoe asked.

Mal shrugged. "There's maybe a handful of people I'd trust with our lives, if it came to it, but I don't think they're who Theo meant."

"Badger," Hank put in.

"Can't say I class him as a friend, so he's more the kind I was thinking of. Acquaintances and the like."

Jayne growled. "Wouldn't put it past that weasel to sell us out," he muttered.

"Neither would I, but we just make sure we're careful when we're dealing with him and his ilk."

Sam spoke up for the first time. "What about the virus on Persephone? Do you think he was right about it happening elsewhere?"

Mal shrugged. "There's been nothing on the Cortex. I checked. But if someone were experimenting, a small outbreak, on a moon with maybe a few hundred settlers … could be done, and no-one'd be any the wiser."

"Dillon might know," Freya suggested. "He said he was going to keep a watch on things like that."

"Might be worth waving him."

Jayne stirred uneasily. "He thinks it was the Alliance, don't he?"

"That he does, and I'm inclined to that way of thinking myself." Mal rubbed one hand through his hair. "But I've been wrong before."

"Really?"

This time Mal let the corners of his mouth lift. "'Ccasionally." He looked at his crew. "It's possible we're all jumping at shadows here. Theo can't swear what the rest of the message said, just that it mentioned Simon Tam and Andrew Brooks. Might be it was just a notification of the old man's death, and for the news to be passed on to Simon if anyone saw him."

"You don't think that," the young man said.

"No. I reckon I don't. So we take precautions. We're careful who we deal with. Like always. We make sure we're armed when we leave the boat. Like always. And we tell people where we're going. Like we're _supposed_ to." He shook his head slightly. "I ain't saying we're in a worse situation than we were, 'cause we ain't. We've always been the underdog in these things, and we've gotten pretty good at looking over our shoulder. It's just … maybe … we need to remember it more. And we take care of our own."

Inara sat forward. "And you've always got a safe place to come back to here. You know you can stay as long as you want."

Mal smiled. "Thanks, 'Nara. And it's good to take our ease once in a while, but this is your home. Can't be putting our troubles onto you all the time."

"You just said. We take care of our own. And that means all of us." She looked at Sam for support, and he nodded in agreement.

"I know people, Mal," the therapist said. "People who are very discreet. I can ask them to keep their ears open."

"Dillon too," Freya added. "And I could always ask Alex …"

"Maybe we've got more friends than you thought," Hank said.

Mal chuckled. "I guess maybe we do. It's warming to think we ain't alone out here in the black."

"I'll remind you you're not in the black at the moment," Inara said. "You're here, and you're safe. All of you."

"Maybe it's a good thing we can't have more kids," Kaylee said suddenly.

"What?" Simon stared at her.

"If'n it is your genes, we could –"

"No, _bao bei_." He took her hands. "I want another baby just as badly as you do. I love our little family and I want what you want. And even knowing we've got _hwoon dahns_ after us won't change that."

She sniffed, realising how strongly he felt by him actually cussing. "Guess not."

"And we couldn't keep Bethie safer unless we locked her up in a tower somewhere."

"'Spose."

"She could grow her hair," River put in. "Like Rapunzel. Then a knight in shining armour would come along one day and climb up it to rescue her."

Now Kaylee had to smile. "Nah. Not a knight. A pirate, maybe."

"Sound much more like it," Mal agreed, grinning. "You know, I can see her running off one day with a guy wearing swords and an eyepatch."

"Over my dead body," Simon deadpanned.

"Probably."

Everyone laughed, even as Inara stood up. "Come on," she said, smiling. "Mrs Boden is going to get very annoyed with us if we don't leave this room so she can set up for lunch."

"Does she ever get annoyed?" Zoe asked.

"I believe so, at least from what her husband says."

"Must be something fierce to see," Kaylee put in. "It's always the quiet ones are the worst."

"'Sides, I'm starving," Jayne added.

"You always are," River responded, putting her hand on his arm.

"Hey, Mal, can't we persuade her to come on board with us?" he asked. "Kinda like the idea of eating actual food once in a while."

"It's not that bad," Freya said.

Jayne just glared at her.

"I don't think she'll be leaving Inara anytime soon," Mal said. "Not that it hasn't crossed my mind."

The door opened and Bethie stuck her head around. "Are you finished? Only Ethan wants to go to the beach, and I still haven't seen the rabbits, and –"

Mal held up his hand. "It's okay, short stub, we're finished."

"Good." She grinned, showing all her little teeth. "And it's nearly lunchtime."

He looked at Kaylee, managing a severe expression. "Are you sure she isn't Jayne's?"

The big man chuckled until River elbowed him. Kaylee didn't even deign to grace that with a response.

Mal watched until everyone had left apart from Freya. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

"Sure."

"'Cause you don't sound too sure."

"I was just thinking about the Alliance. Maybe another war …"

He pulled her towards him. "I told Theo I wouldn't fight. He wanted me to lead, but … you're more important than anything else, _xin gan_. You and Ethan and Jesse."

She looked into his blue eyes, soft and loving. "I'm glad. But if we need to –"

"I'd kill every single Fed to keep you safe."

She didn't even need to peek: she could tell by his tone he meant every word. "With a spoon?" she asked, her lips twitching.

"Yeah." He thought a moment. "Might need two, though."

"I'll keep them ready."

He laughed, the sound warming her very soul. "So. The beach, huh?" he said, putting his arms around her waist.

"He probably wants to see you fall in the mud again." She felt his body press against hers, and she revelled in the closeness.

"Nah. I think he wants to see his Mama get all messy."

"You think?"

"I do."

"Don't want to disappoint him, then, do we?"

He grinned, leading her towards the door. "Surely don't."


End file.
